


And We, Creatures of Danger

by JadeofRen



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Pirate, And Rose Poe and Finn have to teach her about ORGASMS, Blindfolds, Courtesan Rose, Everybody loves Poe and Poe loves everybody, F/M, Faux Courtesan Rey, Fluff and Angst, Inappropriate Use of the Force, Is Luke Skywalker gonna show up here? Maybe kid Anakin idk, Kylo and Rey go on an adventure!, Maybe - Freeform, Multi, One Foursome!, Oral Sex, Rey (Star Wars) is a Mess, Slow Burn, Smut, There should be WAY more Poe-Rose-Finn fics out there, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, While Rey tries not to kill him
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-17
Updated: 2020-11-15
Packaged: 2020-12-21 05:42:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 95,974
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21069818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JadeofRen/pseuds/JadeofRen
Summary: “That’s beside the point, Rey,” Rose continued as if she hadn’t just kicked Rey in the chest with her confession. “We must think of solutions–namely you–and not dwell on the problem itself. I need you to step in for me. The reason Ren is so taken with my reputation is my ability to play Alquerques. And guess who is the only other woman on this barge that knows how to play?” Rose sing-songed, smiling winsomely at Rey. She even batted her eyes, which was just gross overkill.“You want me…ME…to pretend to be a courtesan?” she shrieked.“You wouldn’t be pretending,” Finn murmured.





	1. The Docks of Alon

**Author's Note:**

> ON HIATUS until I finish my manuscript and then I'll be back! 
> 
> I wrote this once and now I'm rewriting it. It's complete and will be updated often!

_ The Force lives in everything, in every instance, in every universe, in every iteration of you and I strewn across our many, many lives. We are destined to meet. We are destined to fall._

_Down._

_Apart._

_In love._

The western docks of Alon smelled like adventure. Not the sort of adventure that amounted to anything, but more the aftermath of excitement. That feeling in your chest when you recognized you were calming down but not quite there. Jittery fingers and a hand to your chest. A precursor to destiny, if there was ever such a thing.

Alon, shaped like a ragged rose petal, was a bustling region of imports and exports, mostly exotic in nature, faring items from the Core Worlds, and even further depending on who you asked. Dappled green and blue like the deepest reaches of the sea, the seaside port town smelled like brine and smoke as if the sea customarily caught on fire.

It didn’t. The only fires that happened in Alon were man-made, the culmination of too much liquor, taunts, and bravado. That’s how the old smithery burned down. But no one cares about that because no one cares about anything in Alon. It wasn’t the worst city on Chandrila, not by far, but it was still a shithole.

Weaving in and out of the streets of Alon as galleys, trading cogs, and longships bobbed up and down water along the port, new arrivals, eager to taste what the planet of Chandrila had to offer in the currency of soft supple flesh, sought out the ladies of Mai–only if the ladies were waiting to be caught. They weren’t. They were hunters, cunning eyes scanning the crowd for the next horny fool whose pocket jingled with money. That was the game–seek, conquer, destroy. But they couldn’t be everywhere at once and they couldn’t hear every inquiry of interest or the rustling of credits against a thirst for fulfillment.

That was what Adorae was there for. Rey for short because she’d shown up looking like a homeless street urchin and Adorae was too feminine for their taste. It was okay because she liked the name.

Tugging a wool cowl over her head to hide perceptive green eyes, Rey danced through the throng of people, nimble and fast, her ears open and her eyes focused for any potential customer that she could lure back to the House of Mai.

It wasn’t the hardest job in the world and without it she would be much worse off. She could go hungry, running the streets like a common rat, hiding in the corners begging for her next meal, or even worse, killed over one. That was what was expected in Alon for any person who couldn’t earn their keep. That was the type of environment Alon cultured. It was cutthroat and every day was a struggle, a dance with death.

Alon wasn’t the worst, but it most certainly was a shithole.

Rey’s job wasn’t the most glamorous, or even the most scrupulous by Chandrila standards–she received her fair share of disapproving looks from pompous noblemen and the highborn ladies that hung off their arms–Rey could appreciate the fact that she was better off than she used to be. Even the ladies of The House of Mai were decent enough. They weren’t exactly _nice_ to her, but in their line of work, being too nice was an invitation for mistreatment and no one wanted to be taken advantage of.

On occasion, the humidity of Alon irritated her. She was a sandrat, used to the dry heat of Jakku. There she had a true sense of the ground, how to lift your feet so it didn’t slide or sink into the sand, how long the sun had to be down before you could take off your shoes. Here, she walked up the brine slick pebbled path that ran parallel with the port, always carefully. Rey thought she looked rather graceful, but it took talent, fortitude, and a quirky sort of balance to not bust your ass–something she learned fairly quickly the day she’d first landed here.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tahiri caressing the chest of some tall sailor with a cocky grin. He’d managed to get a peek down the low scoop of her blouse. Rey knew Tahiri noticed, but all he would get was a peek if he didn’t pay up.

Six down. One to go.

She came up on a tent erected over a small wine hutch, covering her ear as he passed a merchant bellowed out the superiority of his wine versus his competitor who, as he said, “Serves ruby-colored pig piss!” Rey was offended on his behalf because she liked whatever Lor San Tekka sold. It was the classy shit, made of…whatever wine was made of. And he sold it to her cheap! Even slipping her a canteen of whatever he had left before he went home on occasion. She wished she could indulge now. Lor San Tekka told the _best_ stories about space monks with specials powers and swords that were on fire with light. It made her think about all of the tales in her favorite book, but no. Rey should be returning to the House with at least one more patron before sundown and right now she had no one. Duty called. Growling, she ducked under the flaps of the tent and prayed to whatever god ruled this country that someone was horny enough to listen to her spiel.

It was mostly sailors and mariners. She could tell because they gulped down freshwater like they hadn’t seen it in months and stomped and kicked up dirt with every loud, obnoxious laugh. They weren’t the best pick of the litter–there wasn’t a full set of teeth between the seven of them. One, a Huttese leered at her, grabbing his crotch. In return, Rey moved her staff in front of her–a warning.

When he laughed, she also withdrew her carving knife, a silver blade with a black edge. "E chu ta,” she hissed in Huttese. That caught his attention, and he turned around, sneering. Disgusted, Rey turned to leave when she spotted one worth her time.

He sported a black cowl, like hers, the fabric draping low over his brow, shrouding his face in shadows. To be quite honest, everything he had on was black, a slash of night against the bright reds and sunny yellows of the tent. The humidity was ridiculous today and here he was, covered from head to toe in black. Kriffin hells, he even wore gloves! _Hm. _Maybe she could talk him out of his clothes. He sat apart from the crowd, sipping his wine with a smooth, refined grace that made her question if he was a sailor or not. “Big hands,” a tiny, treacherous voice whispered in the back of her head. Rey frowned. She didn’t sleep with potential customers. She didn’t sleep with…anyone. Not lately. So, this was a purely biological reaction. Right. “Well, Rey, you know what they said about big hands,” she muttered as she stepped forward. At least one of the girls would enjoy what was probably, very probably, a well _endowed_ co–

“You don’t want to do that.”

Rey looked down. There was a hand on her wrist.

Brave. Rey did have a reputation around Alon not to be fucked with. It could be because she knocked five of Verg’s teeth out his mouth that one time he’d slapped her ass. He could make do with the two remaining ones was what she told the barkeep when he complained about the scattered teeth across the floor. At heart, truly, she was a sweetheart. She had a nasty temper, sometimes, maybe, but she was never rude… sometimes, maybe.

“And why not?” she forced out as…sweetly as she could. It was a dark-skinned man, handsome, strong chin, but with eyes that were soft, glinting with humor as he regarded her. He looked about her age but held a confidence in the way he leaned against the tent pole that made her think his age didn’t matter.

He wasn’t dressed like anyone else in the tent either–tall pristine boots that look as if he’d stripped the leather and tanned the hide himself that morning. His pants were crisp and unstained, and his suede shirt must have been tailored just for his frame.

He shrugged and Rey was reminded of the Woot, the Clawdite. Woot had managed to woo just about every other lady in Alon by shifting her looks into something she knew they enjoyed. This guy didn’t look like he would need to shift anything to enamor someone. “He wouldn’t be interested, Peanut,” he said eventually, hands held out in a helpless manner. Pushing off the pole, he took a step closer to her, dipping a bit to glance under her cowl. “You’re very pretty.”

“Oh, fuck,” she muttered. When she said he could be seductive to people, she hadn't meant _her_. She didn’t have the time to fight off a suitor.

“Lovely mouth on you as well,” he quipped. 

Rey smirked. “That was me being polite.”

“Hm,” he said, his voice tinted with humor. “Still, you don’t seem to be the type for this line of work.” He eyed her clothing with a raised brow. “You don’t look like you should be anywhere near here. Hanna City, maybe but not Alon.”

The observation did little to perk Rey’s interest. He was assuming she was highborn. And okay, yes, her looks were highborn; pert nose, cupid bow-shaped lips, and green eyes with long lashes suggested she should be somewhere with a loom in her hand or a cup of tea at her lips. The only thing that made people question that was her tanned skin, but in the past, they knew better than to speak on that. Rey was glad for it, anyways. She was proud of the story her complexion told, regardless if she was highborn or not.

Because she was.

Was.

A thought. “Are _you_ interested?” Rey leered, leaning into his space. Business is as business does. A customer was a customer.

He threw his head back in laughter, and Rey had the fleeting desire to punch him. “Please,” he drawled. “The type you work for couldn’t hold a candle to my taste. And they won’t suit his either,” he said, nodding towards the man in black. “Do you know who that is, by the way?”

Rey shook her head, her interest slightly piqued as she swung back to look at him. He hadn't revealed much, but from what she could see, he made a startling contrast against the backdrop of the others. In more than just his demeanor. His face was…. peculiar. Angular, a hint of a strong forehead, and thick brows. Small, dark eyes that were guarded and calculating, a noble nose that commanded most of his face, and the most sinful pair of lips Rey had ever seen. He sported a fine layer of hair over his cheeks and chin that suggested he hadn’t seen a razor’s edge in weeks.

As if he could feel eyes on him, he pushed the black cowl back, looking back and forth with expressive, suspicious eyes and Rey’s mouth dropped open.

That hair.

That _hair_.

Was it fair that a man had hair like that?

Under the stern suggestion from Mai, she’d stopped wearing her customary three buns, her last act of rebellion before she’d fled Jakku. Rey’s brown hair glanced across the top of her back and was tangled from a hard day's work. His, lush and wild-looking, was almost ridiculous. Rey was gobsmacked. He was _handsome_. Maybe the most handsome man she’d ever seen.

“That’s Benjamin Solo, House of Organa.”

Rey choked, but she covered it up with a hand over her lips. “_The_ house of Organa?” she hissed. “As in Leia Organa, House of Organa? The House of Light?”

“That’s the one! Though I wouldn’t mention that too loudly. Everyone, but you apparently, knows that he and his mother love one another but organically don’t get along.”

“Still. What’s the kid of a senator, a Princess, doing in fucking Alon? This is the darkest city on the coast and he’s a son–the son–of Light.”

She’d heard of Ben Solo. Of course, she’d heard of him. Who hadn’t? But it was noted and thrown away. She really didn’t have any interest in spoiled, rich kids and Ben Solo was, reportedly, spoiled and rich. Mercurial. Rebellious. Moody. Typical spoiled rich kid shit.

“It’s amazing you still see light in him,” he muttered. “Anyways, I’ll make sure to ask him. He is _my_ customer after all.”

Rey whipped around to glance at him, brow raised. For a moment, because Rey's mind was as dark as Alon at times, she imagined what that would look like–the two men intertwined. She would watch that. The man laughed gaily at her reaction, the melodiousness of it breaking her from her thought. He held up his hands like he could read her mind and Rey internally recoiled. 

“Oh, no! Not _that_ sort of customer, I can assure you. Hi, I’m Finn.” He slapped his hand to his chest as he bowed in greeting. “We’re brethren, you and I.”

Her surprise morphed into confusion as she took another glance at him. Granted, she _had_ spent two years in an orphanage, but she remembered every single one of her “brothers and sisters” from that horrible, horrible place. “Brethren, huh? I’ve never seen you a day in my life.”

“Maybe not, but I’m sure you’ve heard from me. I negotiate for Keshla.” Finn had a dazzling smile, full lips, and white teeth, but that smile fizzled as Rey retained her confusion. “Oh, _come on_. Keshla? The Pleasure Barge? Rose the Veiled?”

Nope. Nothing. Didn’t ring one bell.

Finn huffed. “How are you in this line of work and don’t know who she is? She’s only the most famous courtesan in all of Chandrila!”

Finn kept talking but Rey at that point, she’d lost her interest in continuing the conversation. She didn’t care about famous courtesans or negotiators with pretty faces. “Finn, was it?” He nodded as if he were proud she remembered. “Besides the fact that you think that I should be interested in the achievements of a complete stranger–I am not–you still haven’t gotten to the part that has to do with me. And now I don’t care! Since I am now out of a patron, I have work to do. Have a great life, I guess. And uh, good luck?”

Finn chuckled. “You must not have heard me when I said you were too pretty for this line of work.”

“Right, right.” She waved him off as she turned for the fresh air outside of the tent. Off in the distance was the curve of the low road. The pebbled path would lead to the Drunken Supernova and Rey was more than confident there was at least one gullible idiot there. Because if there wasn’t, she wasn’t eating tonight. Her stomach rumbled in response. _Yes_, she thought, grumbling to herself, _I know_. To the Drunken Supernova, even though the sort of men there were…less than stellar.

“Do you want to work for Keshla?”

Rey paused mid-step. Finn sauntered out of the tent, all-flash and fancy clothing. He stopped when he’d effectively stood between her and the low road.

“Do I want to work…?”

“For Keshla.”

When she didn’t answer, he hooked a finger for her to follow. To this day, Rey did not know why she followed him. But she did, following along behind him as he whistled a tune, all flat notes as if he’d never been taught how melodies worked. A few of the noblemen waved at him, and Finn waved back. The same ones glowered at her as she passed. Those…those _jackasses_.

“That man was Kylo Ren,” he called over his shoulder as he strolled along, sidestepping a pothole here and there.

Rey frowned. “You told me his name was Ben Solo.”

Finn shrugged. “Technically, his name is Ben Solo. Technically, he is the son of Light from the House of Organa. Technically. But on the high seas, he’s Ren. You can ask him about his name one day if you get the chance, but my suggestion would be to never ask him about his name.” He looked behind him, confirming his thoughts at Rey’s blank look. “To put it simply, he abandoned the high life of light for that of a darksider–a pirate. He fancies himself a mariner–that’s the noble rich kid in his I guess–but he’s a pirate and a damn good one. He is paying Keshla a visit soon. Pretty big deal as we want him, and his pockets, as a regular patron.”

“Still haven’t told me what that has to do with me.”

“Nothing, really. This is about you, not him. You’re good at what you do, Rey. And Keshla pays. Way better pay than what that old hag Mai is shitting out in credits.” Finn rounded on her with a smirk that told Rey he was used to getting his way. “Plus, a pretty face like yours should be attracting a more refined sort of suitor, instead of these…” he waved a hand to Alon’s harbor. “–sort.”

Rey’s eyes narrowed. “How do you–”

Finn pulled her up onto a wooden barrier that lined the length of the harbor. “I’m paid to read people, just like you. I’ve been watching you for weeks.” He stopped abruptly and swept his hand towards a pale wood and jade pleasure barge docked parallel to the harbor. A bright silk pavilion dyed in shades of pink preceded four cabin apartments covered in the same colorings. On the bow of the ship sat six row men, gleaming bodies covered in white silk tunics, sitting leisurely in the waning sun.

Finn laughed, probably at her starstruck look, before gently pushing her lower back, guiding her up the rest of the simple plank that led onto the deck of the barge. The calming scents of jasmine and sandalwood wafted towards her as she stepped down onto the deck, layers of rose petals cushioning her feet. Rey scrambled to remove her shoes, but as Finn hopped down to join her, the soles of his boots mucked with dirt, she didn’t bother.

“Where are we?” Rey breathed. Finn opened his mouth to answer, same cocksure grin on his face, but a loud crash from the main cabin and a shrill voice had him snapping his lips shut.

“You don’t even know how to pour wine, Poe! It’s not that hard! Look! You lift your hand and pour, you ass!”

“I’m trying, Rose! I swear!”

“You’re a piss poor try! Get out!” There was another high-pitched yell. More crashing. Maybe a whimper? Then silence.

Finn’s mouth fell open and he rushed towards the door of the cabin. “Uh…you stay here!” he yelled over his shoulder. “I’ll be right–”

The cabin door flew open just as Finn reached it, and a man scrambled backwards, summer wine dripping from his dark brown hair in rivulets, drenching his shirt in rose petal splotches of red.

“She’s crazy!” the man said, jabbing a finger at the cabin before sluicing wine from his face. “This is my favorite shirt!”

“I don’t give a damn about your shirt,” a voice–who Rey assumed was Rose–responded before the door slammed back shut.

“This is what you get for dismissing her last handmaiden,” Finn tsked, looking down, his mouth pulled low in a frown.

“She laughed at a man’s penis. She pointed to it and _laughed_, Finn.”

“I saw it, too. It was…laughable. And so, what! Now, look at you.” Finn helped the man to his feet. “You need to find another one, Poe, and fast.”

“I am in charge!” Poe stomped his foot. “I can fire who the hell I want!” he said. Rey guessed it was supposed to sound authoritative but he sounded more like a petulant child than someone’s boss. When Finn giggled, Poe yanked off his shirt and threw it at him. Rey adverted her eyes. Coincidentally, Rey was slowly coming to grips that maybe she _should_ get laid more often. Not that Poe would be a candidate. He apparently was her new boss. But–she snuck another glance at him– and good _God_.

“You think you’re in charge?” Finn snorted. He dropped the shirt to the floor and crossed his arms. “Honestly.”

“Yes! I own this boat. I put her in that fancy ass cabin, and I put her in those fancy ass dresses, and this,” he pointed to his shirt now lying in a heap on the barge’s floor, “is fancy ass wine that I paid for!”

Finn rolled his eyes, a breath escaping between his lips as if he were used to Poe’s rants and Rose’s behavior. “Oh, calm down! We can wash the shirt–”

One of the rowmen looked back at them, expression bored, then turned away. There was nothing in front of them but the empty deck of another ship. Another indication that this was a frequent occurrence. Rey cleared her throat when it looked like Poe and Finn would keep arguing. As if now just noticing her, Poe’s head rotated towards her slowly. He jumped a little and moved his arms over his bare chest, eyeing her suspiciously. “And you are?”

“She’s the one I was telling you about. From the House of Mai.” Finn shrugged off his cloak and threw it at Poe, snorting when the older man rushed to cover himself like some scandalized noblewoman.

“The negotiator?”

“Yes. Rey. I was going to introduce her to Rose but…”

Poe waved him off. “Bah! Don’t bother. She’s hired. Show her the ropes, or the Keshla way, or whatever corny thing you said last month.”

“The Keshla Experience,” Finn stated, tugging at the lapels of his shirt.

“Yeah, that. Give her the list and try not to lose this one.” He gave Rey a tight smile, his teeth and lips stained with wine. “Welcome to the family, Rey.” He turned for the harbour, glaring over his shoulder once last time as he walked down the plank towards town.

They both watched him go, heading deeper into Alon until he disappeared over a hill.

It wasn’t the most dramatic exit she’d ever seen, but then again, he was shirtless and covered in wine. “Is he going to come back?”

Finn sighed and led her off the barge and towards the pier. “Yes. Going to lick his wounds like the sad, pathetic, little puppy he is.” He gave off one last disgusted snort towards where Poe had disappeared. “Oh! One other thing.” And Rey didn’t like the way that sounded. Considering every time Finn opened his mouth, it spelled trouble for her. “You don’t have a job anymore.” Rey’s face dropped and he had the nerve to laugh. “This morning I may or may not have bribed Mai with enough credits to let you go. And that old whore is one smart cookie. Maybe the smartest.” He waggled a leather wallet in front of her face. “So now you are without a job. Want to work for Keshla?”

Rey looked back to the barge and then back at Finn, sighing. “I don’t think I have a choice,” she muttered.

It was the reliability of safety that Rey grew accustomed to first. It took months, her too used to working her fingers to the bone only to find out she hadn’t pulled in enough clients for the day and would go to bed with an empty stomach, to grow acclimated to her new lifestyle. And there was the clientele. In the past, even though the upper crust of Chandrila would turn their noses up at her, they were less likely to try and take what wasn’t theirs–Rey’s money, Rey’s body–compared to those cultured in Alon. And now that she was dealing with them on a regular basis, those same nobles who’d once eyed her with contempt now listened to her and negotiated with her as if she were a Corusca gem merchant. She was treated to fine drinks and succulent entrees, food she hadn’t eaten in years. She still didn’t like them, but draining their pockets was very, very enjoyable.

Deep in Salline, Rey was entreating with one of Rose’s more...tenacious interest–a great round blubbering lord who often refused to give his name, although Rey knew it already. Feestun Vos, third or fourth or fifth cousin removed from Dryden Vos, the former face of the crime syndicate Crimson Dawn. So, Rey was in no hurry to deliver the bad news, although it would get delivered nonetheless. Feestun bit into a large blackbeak egg, some of the yolk running down into his thick beard, and further down onto his belly. Rey wasn’t the neatest eater but this was disgusting. 

“I don’t mean to, uh, cut you off, my lord, but Rose has agreed to entertain you by this week’s end and this week’s end alone. She will be otherwise preoccupied during the full moon. And as always, compensation is to be paid _up front_, so this tab that you keep referring to…”

“I’ve been a patron of Keshla for years!” he roared, slapping a meaty hand to the dinner table. “To say that you can’t afford me a little leniency is a little absurd, don’t you think, little lady?”

_Little lady? God, she hated him._ “Right. This has been…lovely, sir. You know where to find me when you are ready to speak on the terms I presented.” She stood and grabbed her staff. “If you’ll excuse me.”

She turned from his sputtering, barely able to resist the temptation of rolling her eyes. Lord Feestun was a very wealthy man, and his power of negotiation stemmed from an overinflated ego and a self-confidence that was as powerful as his rancid breath. Rose hadn’t touched the man once in the years he’d visited her, and it wasn’t so farfetched to think he might have be tired with paying for a service he hadn’t fully enjoyed. But if he was angry about it, there was always the option of fucking his wife.

Alon was as Alon always was. Salline was a wealthier part of town, but it didn’t hide the stench of split street canals carrying off blackwater. The architects of Salline were idiots. Every so often, she would run into one of the girls from the House of Mai when she arrived back in Alon proper. And oh, were they so nice to her now, asking her to put in a good word with Poe. Laughable. She couldn’t get them on Keshla even if she tried, but she made no qualms about pocketing the bribe money they would slip into her pants. It was how she was able to pay for upgrades to her staff. If she had a lightsaber then no one would fuck with her. Too bad no one had seen one in decades.

As she stepped onto the barge, Rey was nearly knocked over by a row man carrying a box of sheer fabric. Poe was on the roof of one of the cabins, yelling out instructions and commands. When she whistled up to him, he studiously acted as if he hadn’t heard her. He had because Poe had the poker face of a chimpanzee. Nerves, maybe. There as such frenzy around next week’s visit that everyone was on edge. By the new moon, Captain Kylo Ren–she had no choice but to call him that after Pammich sat around for _hours_ rehashing every great thing he has ever, ever done–would be here, along with his Knights of Ren. Everyone was excited. Everyone also seemed so nervous that they might throw up.

Or was that just her?

Poe’s pleasure barge was the largest in Alon. Other than Rose, he had three other courtesans in his service. Kaydel, who could lie through her teeth and seduce a customer with an ease that made Rey think Connix would be an excellent con-woman. Pammich, who was so popular that Rose had often talked about retiring and letting her take over. And Jessika, the siren. Rey had no idea what that meant, but when she saw customers leaving her cabin, they’d often looked like she’d kicked their ass.

This was her home, now. Despite all the wildness and madness that happened every day, it was a place of calm for Rey. She inhaled the smell of the Silver Sea and exhaled. Peace and–

“That fucking stings, you moron!”

Oh. Rose.

Feeling brave, Rey pulled open the door to Rose’s cabin without knocking and stuck her head inside. Poe was still on the roof of the cabin, and he was the only one…skilled enough to make Rose shriek like a banshee, so it was probably a spider. Rose hated spiders. Except–nope. No, spiders.

Rey slammed the door shut, looking right and left and up and down and anywhere for an exit–the ground could swallow her up and she’d be just fine. Oh! She could just jump overboard!

“Take another step and I’m telling Pammich you’re the one who drank all of her Chandrilan raava!

Rey whipped around, glaring. “You helped!”

“Who do you think she’s gonna believe? Me, trusty, faithful, reliable Finn, or you, the new girl whoooo drank all of her raava. By herself. With absolutely no help. Come on! Get in’here!” Finn reached out, grabbed a handful of her cowl and yanked her back into the cabin. Rey yelped as she flew back, scrambling to get her feet under her as he shut the door. She snatched the hood low over her head when Finn spun her around, fussing with the ends of her blouse, refusing to look up. The medic, seeing a good chance to escape, did just that, brushing by her and out of the door.

“Oh, bloody hell, Rey! You’ve seen a woman’s ass before. Stop being foolish.”

_She had not, thank you very much_! Ignoring Rose, she continued to look anywhere but at her, slowly pulling her hood lower and lower so it would cover her eyes. The sound of footsteps closing in on her was the only warning Rey got before Rose snatched the cowl off her head. Carefully, she inched open an eye open as Rose tapped her foot impatiently in front of her.

“I–I–I don’t… I didn’t mean to–”

Finn, apparently used to Rose parading around with her bare ass out, pinched the bridge of his nose and threw a robe at her. "Curse the storms of–cover yourself up, woman!” Rose hmphed, dropped her skirt, and sat down on the edge of her bed. “It’s a rash, Adorae,” he clipped out.

“That’s–uh–quite unfortunate but–”

“A rash that’s not going to be healed by the turn of the moon.”

“Very, very unfortunate,” Rey cooed, still not understanding.

Rose huffed indignantly, tendrils of her black purple hair fluttering across her forehead “I can’t very well fuck with a rash, now can I, Rey? Stop twittering like a bird and stand still!”

“It’s a…” Finn paused for a second, seeming to search for a good word, “a good thing you showed up when you did Rey.” He grabbed her by the hand and led her to a corner of Rose’s expansive cabin, only stopping at the foot of a large flat case. He flipped it open with the toe of his boot. “Do you know how to play this?” he asked, searching what little of her face he could see. “And don’t lie, I already know the answer.”

She glanced down at the contents of the case and sighed. “Alquerques,” she muttered. It was a long wooden board, carved with several triangles up and down its surface, with hobbled rounded grooves at the apex of each shape. “Yes…I know how to play it.”

Finn pitched a gleeful “Aha!” before rounding on Rose, an excited smirk on his face. “Did I tell you or did I tell you?”

Finn wasn’t much taller than Rose, but she shoved him to the floor to get him out of her face so she could march up to Rey. The negotiator took a step back as the courtesan parked right in front of her. Rey looked down and Rose looked up, beautiful dark eyes narrowed in suspicious. “You’re highborn?”

“Um, yes?” Rey ran her hands through her hair, wanting to yank on the ends to give her hand something to do but refrained from doing so. This was the one thing–the _one_ thing–she’d always wanted to hide from them. She wanted to belong and Rey the negotiator, the scavenger, could. Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi could not.

This was terrible! Horrible! Her life was ruined yet again and–

Rose’s face lit up like the kyber crystal the monks from The House of Organa worshiped. “How are you with singing, dear? With your needlework? Well, that won’t matter, it’s not like you’ll be stitching a man’s shirt. What about pouring? Poe’s fucking terrible. I don’t understand how he can be so bad at it. Aye! Maybe after this is over you can be my handmaiden! I’ll pay you handsomely, way more than a negotiator’s salary. But,” and her hand came up to thunk against her forehead. “I have to get you ready first! You may be highborn but I’m sure you know nothing about seducing men–”

“Wait. I beg your pardon, but...what?”

Finn, still on the floor where Rose had left him, looked up with an empathetic smile. “You see, Rey. The Captain is expecting an inviting and skilled woman to entertain him next week, and you know how important this is for all of us. We _need_ Ren's continued patronage, and he is coming here explicitly to see Rose. Problem is…he can’t see Rose. Not like this.”

Rey offered him a blank look, still trying to connect the dots. “Okay, so? Rose is “The Veiled Lady”. Only a handful of her suitors have actually seen her face and I'm sure they are dead. Slap it on Kaydel–they are both the same height, right? Wow, would you look at that! Problem solved!” She shot off a salute and turned on her heels so fast, she almost made herself dizzy. Because, no. No! Hell, no! There was no way she was sticking around for what she thought they were about to propose.

She bolted for the door and ran smack into a broad chest and strong arms. Automatically her arms wrapped around them to keep herself from bouncing back and falling. Groaning, she looked up. Then blanched, skin tingling delightfully where it slid against Poe’s. _Damn it_, she cursed inwardly. She untangled herself and took a step back, tugging her cowl back down to cover her embarrassment.

“Do you know how long it takes to teach someone to be a master of Alquerques?” Poe asked as if she hadn’t almost tackled him in her rush to _escape_. “Better question. Do you also know how long it takes to find someone we trust enough for what we’re about to ask you?”

Rey looked up to find Poe staring at her. She felt her cheeks warm at how earnestly he was looking at her and for fuck’s sake. The crush she’d been harboring for the man was even starting to get on her nerves, especially considering he hadn’t paid her any bit of attention.

“Look, Rey. It’s my fault that this is happening, and I apologize for putting you in this position but–”

“How is this your fault?” Rey head titled at his admission. “Are you fond of giving people rashes? Is that even an ability people can have?” Behind her, Finn choked out a laugh.

“I um…” Poe flushed a bit and averted his eyes.

Rose sighed heavily like Poe was a child or something. “Poe likes to fuck in the wild if you can believe.” Both Rose and Finn gave each other a knowing look. “I need you, Rose,’ he said. ‘My love cannot wait’, he said, ‘That pirate can’t love you like I love you,” he said. The most impatient man, I swear.”

“Tell me about it,” Finn retorted. “He’s so grabby, you know? One time, when you and Pammich traveled to Nayli? We were on the roof and his hands, my stars, he couldn’t keep them to himse–”

“I’m–standing–right–here,” Poe grounded out.

Rey blinked. And she blinked some more. And some more, because honestly, she wasn’t about to start crying, was she? No. Pollen…or something.

“That’s beside the point, Rey,” Rose continued as if she hadn’t just kicked Rey in the chest with her confession. “We must think of solutions–namely you–and not dwell on the problem itself. I need you to step in for me. The reason Ren is so taken with my reputation is my ability to play Alquerques. And guess who is the only other woman on this barge that knows how to play?” Rose sing-songed, smiling winsomely at Rey. She even batted her eyes, which was just gross overkill.

“You want me…ME…to pretend to be a courtesan?” she shrieked.

“You wouldn’t be pretending,” Finn murmured.

Rey had to laugh because this was _absurd_. “You want me to curtsy and sing and play lover to a man I’ve never met? No offense, but I would never.”

Rose’s smiled withered away and Rey really, really hated seeing Rose unhappy. Her face was made for happiness. Those cheeks! “So, your answer is no?” She sighed dramatically, lifting her skirt higher than necessary, showing off the itchy red welts covering her legs and thighs. “I...I understand.” She plopped onto her silk and satin covered bed in a whirl of perfume and fabric. “Well, that’s it. We’re ruined. Absolutely ruined!” Rose sighed again, this time falling prone across the bed and throwing her face in the crook of her arm. Then she began to sob.

Loudly.

And Rey rolled her eyes.

“Oh…don’t cry, Rose.” She patted her leg pleadingly. “I’m sure everything is going to be okay! I can find others to take Ren’s place. I know of some very well to do men and they could…they would love to–”

“It’s no good, Rey,” Finn supplied. “Ren’s coin would have carried us for the next two years. It would take thrice the men to fill his place, and quite frankly, to put the girls through that…”

“But I don’t think you understand. I can’t possibly be…”

Rose sprang up with tears glittered across her eyelashes. “But I could teach you! It’s wouldn’t be hard, not with your background! And you won’t have to worry about him knowing it’s you, I swear! I wear a veil.” Her watery smile was digging into Rey’s resolve and the sniffle–_X'us'R'iia have mercy, she’s sniffling_–did it. “Please, Adorae…”

“You are conveniently forgetting the sex with a stranger part.”

Rose slapped at her shoulder playfully. “Aw, c’mon, Rey! It’s just cock. A bunch of huffing and puffing and it’s over with!”

Rey groaned loudly, slapping Rose’s hands away as they reached for her pitifully, small hands making grabby motions. “I’m not promising anything, just…let me think about it.” She moved quickly to leave the cabin space before they talked her into parading around Alon with her ass hanging out, ignoring their combined cheers as she shut the door.

The wonderful thing about living on the Keshla pleasure barge–besides the inescapable fun of watching noblemen embarrass themselves–was the gorgeous view of the Silver Sea and the night sky from the top of the girls’ cabin apartments. It was miles and miles of open water under a curtain of beautiful stars and sky. She took her cloak and folded it, shoving the fabric behind her head as she took in the view of the glittering landscape.

When she was younger, and a Lord’s daughter, she would count them and imagine they were faraway worlds she could travel to. She would name them–Bespin, in the eastern skies was a city that sat above the clouds, and Corellia was filled with shipyards and vessels that could fly, and Endor, a planet covered in nothing but trees. She greeted them as new friends with every encounter, adoring them as they blanketed the night sky with their twinkling, coming up with stories for each of them. Her favorite was Tatooine, much like her homeworld, Jakku, but kinder. A man with a lightsaber grew up there, poor and mostly alone like she had. He had the ability to walk the sky like they walked on land.

A noise from below had her looking over to the ladder that led to the top of the cabins, dark brown strands sticking up over the edge heralding his entrance. Poe climbed the last of the ladder, huffing as he grabbed the last rung. “Do you know how hard you are to find?”

She chuckled, turning her gaze back towards the sky. “It’s hard to find me because I wasn’t looking to be found. Why are you searching? Looking to drag a “yes” outta me?”

“Nah.” He took a seat beside her and leaned back on bared muscled arms. He smelled like moss and mint and the incense Pammich like to leave on the deck. “You’ll figure that on your own. It’s a lot we’re asking of you.”

“Ts’alright. We’re in a tight spot.”

He gave a snort. “That’s an understatement, my lady.

She frowned up at him. “You guys going to start with the “my lady” crap? Fine. Yes. I am a lady. But I don’t see why that has to change anything.”

“It doesn’t.” He reached over and ruffled her hair playfully. Rey swatted at his hands. “You’re still Rey. This is a place where your past doesn’t matter, only your future. We all have our secrets and you’re entitled to keep yours.”

She hummed in response. She had a question she wanted to ask but didn’t think it was appropriate. But then again, they were asking her to be a whore for a night, so she figured propriety could be set aside. “So…”

“So?”

“You and Rose, huh. And Finn?”

Poe chuckled. “Yeah.” He sighed. “Me and Rose…and Finn.”

He spoke softly as if he was revering their names on his lips, or maybe the relationship they shared, Rey couldn’t tell. But it was enough to drag her down a notch, the corners of her smile faltering. She could see the affection he held for them in his eyes, and it was plain to see none of that sparkle was for her. But despite her disappointment, she wondered. “How do you do it? I mean, I can understand Finn, but with Rose…and her line of work.”

“I’m the one who brought them into this life. Finn was a soldier for Snoke.”

Rey gasped. “The mercenary pirate?”

“Yeah. He served under a woman named Phasma and she’d sent him out on a mission to attack a village. He high-tailed out of there as soon as he could. Found him half dead near the Crystal Canyons. He pledged his life to me. It was a bit much but now I can’t get rid of him,” Poe said, a smirk inching up the side of his face. “As for Rose. Well, we created this company _for_ Rose. It was her lifeline; she needed it, considering her past.”

She looked at him and balked. Not that the life of a courtesan was a difficult one–it was full of pleasure and admirers, men falling at your feet, and women glaring at you with envy or lust, but it was still a life of service. “What could have possibly happened–”

“Remember what I said about our past not mattering? I meant it.” He gave her a pointed look, not unfriendly, but serious. “We’re all new people here.” He stood, patting her on the top of her head one final time. “Food is ready if you’re hungry.”

She watched him leave, covering her hands with her face so he wouldn’t hear her groan out loud. They had been good to her. They felt like her family. They…they were her family. 

Finn had taught her all about haggling and negotiating prices, while Poe had passed his ledger and accounting practices down to here. He’d also shared with her the secrets of building a woman’s reputation from nothing to the talk of legends with only words. Rose hadn’t taught her much of anything, but she was much softer with Rey than she was with Poe and Finn, and for that, she was very grateful. The girls were like sisters to her, thanking her all the time for not dragging some slobbering idiot to their doors, whether in extra credits or entertaining her with stories. The more handsome the patron, the louder they squealed in her ear later.

They treated her better than the girls of Mai had ever done. To them, she had been just another girl who’d come and who’d go. Even on Stewjon or eventually Jakku. They had all treated her like she was nothing. Here, she felt welcomed and appreciated, as if she’d been here her entire life. She felt life on the barge, where on land she felt duty.

She felt warm.

Moments later, she found herself kicking open the kitchen door on the lowest level of the barge, with her hands on her hip like some sort of warrior princess. “I’ll do it. Just this once. Only once!” She had to duck as Pammich and Jessika flew at her like two sparrows, wrapping their arms around her neck. Jessika grabbed her cheeks and kissed her full on the lips.

“Poe! Get the spirits!” Kaydel screamed up above to his cabin. “Rey said yes! We’re saved!”

“Look at you!”

Rey stood in front of the looking glass in Rose’s cabin, smoothing down arrant stands of hair, and tucking a few loose ones behind her ear.

“You look glorious, Rey! I can barely recognize you.”

Rey glared a stroke at Rose and the courtesan smacked her shoulder. “Not like that! You’ve always been gorgeous, but tonight, my love, you’re like the sun. And for tonight, you’ll have the power to seduce even the moon.”

Rose had dressed her in layers of sunset golden silk and satin, her bodice molding to her chest and curving down over the top of her hips before flaring out into her skirt. Her hair was pulled back into a caul twinkling with amethyst and jade stones. The net was tucked under a thick gauzy wimple and a veil that could be pulled down over her face, concealing her identity when Ren and his Knights arrived. Rose had covered Rey’s face in a fine silken bronzy power, highlighting her tan complexion. "A gift," she'd called it, caressing her freckled cheek. A swipe of kohl darkened her eyes, bringing out the green, while her lips were covered in a rich balm Rose had received from a lover once.

This was the final product of a full week of Rose’s grueling but enlightening tutelage. It was true–Rey’s past prepared her for some of it. But the art of enticing and seducing a man was something Rey was very rusty at. And by rusty, Rose had muttered, she was downright rusted over.

Rey could admit that. She’d only had one lover in her life–Korr–a singer with a burning desire to fuck the daughter of a lord. He’d succeeded, wooing her over the course of a year with his voice, and later his body. He was bold and surefooted as he undid the laces of her bodice, but less confident when she told him of her plans of marriage. Maybe he would have agreed if her cousin had never found out. When her father, Lord Kenobi died, his older cousin inherited their estate. He was a nasty man, often proposing that Rey marry him. She was no fool. He just wanted a tighter grasp on her father’s money. When he found out about Rey’s tryst with the singer, his anger, and his jealousy, caused him to throw her out, strip her of her titles, and banish her from Stewjon.

She never much enjoyed being a lady, anyways. Still, the lessons she’d capriciously learned from Korr were far forgotten. She had been nothing but a girl with Korr. Now, she was expected to perform as a woman with Kylo Ren.

Rose was a patient teacher however, first showing her how to seduce the mind, then the body, and for a loyal patron, the heart. “The greatest way to seduce, and remember this, is to not look like you’re seducing. You are their friend, their lover, their _greatest_ secret. You are a seductress; so, you don’t need to try. You _are_ seduction, sunflower.”

The mind was easy. Rey was a bright and educated girl and more perceptive than most. The body on the other hand…

Nights before the full moon, Rose stood behind a seated Rey, the robe the courtesan had let her have draping off her shoulders like spilled water, her hair high in an intricate bun.

“What does an orgasm feel like, Rey?”

Rey blinked slowly, searching around for the answer, but coming up short. _Just wing it._ “It feels like–uh–it feels good?” No. Not confident enough. “Good,” she tried again. “It feels very good.”

“It feels good?” Rose said, her voice pitched high. “A new dress feels good, Rey. Diving off a cliff into the cool waters of a lake feels good. An orgasm does not feel good.”

Rey brows furrowed. That isn’t what her housemother had told her.

“Have you never had an orgasm before?”

Rey shrugged and laughed nervously, embarrassed. “I uh. No, I haven’t.”

Rose rolled her tongue around in her mouth as if she were testing the weight of an idea. “Stand up, love.”

Rey made to rush to her feet, but Rose placed a hand on her shoulder. “Slowly. We don’t want them thinking we want them as much as they want us.”

Rey tried again, rising slowly and remembering to let her robe part a little, giving a taste of skin, but never the full prize of it. She gasped a little when she felt a cool cloth cover her eyes and tighten as Rose tied it off. The courtesan guided her to the bed and turned her once again to face her. “Sit down on the bed and don’t move until I come back.”

Again, she did as was told. The door closed, leaving Rey blinded and confused. She sat there, counting the seconds in her head, going over the sort of emotions Korr had invoked in her body. His touch had felt good, but it was young and clumsy. She had been more turned on by the thrill of sex than anything else. But she needed to drum that thrill up again, or Rose was going to be very disappointed at the disaster she unleashed on Keshla’s deck.

Her thoughts snapped back to her current reality as Rose’s cabin door creaked back open. Without her sense of sight, all she could hear the woman walking back into her room, and a hushed whisper as the door closed.

“How are you feeling right now, Rey?”

“I’m a little bit nervous. I’m not sure what’s going on…”

“This is just a little practical…test,” Rose said. “How can one give if one has never received?” Her voice seemed far away, like she was on the other side of her cabin. “An orgasm, by definition is a climax of sexual excitement, characterized by feelings of pleasure centered in the genitals. A throbbing, grasping, wet thing. An orgasm is more than that. It is transcendent. You become a goddess and it is the closest to heaven you’ll ever be. Every part of you will come alive. Your skin, your heart, your soul. You become everything and everything becomes you. It is death. It is divine.”

Well, that sounded dramatic and highly implausible. “Every sense? What about–” and Rey ran a hand across her blindfold.

“That’ll come later.” She could hear someone approaching and shivered when delicate fingers skimmed over her shoulder. “What do you hear right now, Rey?”

“The ocean…Kaydel’s flute…”

Rose tsked and her voice began to sound farther away, as if she were going back to her corner. “Try harder. Feel deeper. Breathe. Reach out”

Without her vision, she stretched her hearing, listening for sounds other than what she was…hearing. _This is silly._ Rey heard what she heard and was about to give up when she felt the bed dip beside her. Breathing. She heard breathing, warm, fanning over her ear and her face. But Rose was clearly on the other side of the room. _Who was this?_ “I…I hear breathing. It’s…not quite racing but it’s…labored. Excited.”

“Good. Now, tell me. What do you smell?”

She inhaled deeply, trying to pick apart the different aromas in Rose’s cabin. There was the scent of a burning candle, fresh persimmon from the fruit bowl and incense from the deck. No. Harder. Deeper. She inhaled again, filling her lungs, when a scent prickled off her senses.

Moss. And mint. 

She stopped breathing.

_It couldn’t be._

“Now a lesson about touch, Rey.”

She felt hands pull her thin ones into theirs, tugging lightly to bring her body into the circle of strong arms fragrant with the intoxicating scent of moss. Her eyes fluttered underneath the blindfold when she felt a hot, slick tongue carve a fiery trail up her shoulder, followed by the cooling sensation as he blew across her moist skin.

“Stand up, Adorae.” The voice this time was gruff and liquid, like silk, smoothing over the shell of her ear. She couldn’t deny him anything like this. She rose, slowly, not because of what Rose taught her but because her knees were useless. “Good.” He pulled her in between his parted legs.

She stood stock still, waiting for his next command when she felt his calloused palms around her calves, smoothing over muscle and skin, inching higher and higher. His hands massaged the soft skin of her inner thighs. Rey was trembling.

His hand traveled north, slinking up towards the heat of her sex. She held her breath, waiting for the touch, but it never came. Instead, he continued up, feeling every modest curve: the slight flare of her hips, the concave dip of her stomach, the underside of her breast through the robe.

“What do you feel right now, Rey?”

She didn’t have any words to describe it. Her thoughts were short-circuited and she only knew the language of Poe’s touch. Her mouth gaped open and closed as he tugged on the tie keeping her silk robe together, his hands parting the fabric and circling her waist.

He pulled her close and she cried out when she felt his tongue gliding across her skin, circling sensually before it dipped into her belly button. Shaking hands found his shoulders, and she was leaning against them for support when another pair of hands ghosted over her shoulders, pulling the robe completely from her body leaving her naked to their eyes. A third pair joined shortly, the palms rough and calloused but soothing, massaging her lower back.

“F–Finn?”

“I’m here, Peanut.”

Delicate, skilled hands, a contrast from Poe’s rough needy ones and Finn’s strong, supporting ones, flowed across her back, the smooth tips of her fingers licking a stripe up her spine, making Rey arch into Poe’s mouth.

“What do you hear now?” Rose whispered in her ear.

“Heartbeats,” she breathed.

“Good.”

She felt Rose inch closer to her, her lips disappearing in the groove between her collarbones as she made her way up Rey’s back with moist deep kisses. She guided her lips up, pausing to twirl her tongue, mouthing whatever skin she could reach. She spoke against the back of Rey’s neck as Finn’s hands curved around to cup and squeeze a breast. “What does that feel like Rey?”

“God…” she said, her voice trembling.

The duality of soft against hard was more than she could take–the twisting in the bottom of her stomach, the heat rising to a boil under the surface of her skin, Rose’s soft kisses, Finn’s steady hand, all playing against the downward traveling of Poe’s tongue.

Rey was losing herself. She was going to break apart.

What happened next surprised her so much that she cried out, and if it wasn’t for Poe guiding her shapely thigh over his shoulder or Finn holding her up, she would have fainted right there. The rough texture of tongue against the slick heat of her cunt was a combination that had Rey praying to every god she could name for mercy.

He lapped and nipped at her center, his fingers parting the petals to reveal a budding center that begged for his attention. He drew the bud into his mouth, sucking hard and humming a chuckle as her knees buckled. She felt like they were going to give way at any minute, but without losing any momentum in his ministrations, Poe locked his arms around her hips and twisted, pulling her onto the bed. He obviously wasn’t going to let her get away. With her lying there, gasping in need, he pressed his advantage, spreading her legs wider for easier access.

Rey was lost in the rapture of skin and senses, falling deeper when she felt Finn’s plush lips draw a nipple into her mouth, sucking greedily as Poe nibbled on her like she was a ripe peach. A cool digit was added to the fray, Poe slipping a finger into Rey’s heat, then another, pumping and curving against her walls looking for something fervently. When Poe found what he was looking for, Rey arched off the bed, her toes digging into the feather mattress. Finn moved with her, his mouth never leaving one breast alone for too long, sharing the duty with Rose, circling a nipple with the flat of her tongue.

Then Rey felt it; she knew what she was feeling because it was the most foreign, satisfying, ruinous feeling ever. Then Poe did something, _something_, and a pulse ricocheted throughout her body. She curled into herself, throbbing, and grasping, 

She felt the blood rushing in her ears, the metallic taste of blood as she bit down on her lip, the smell of nothing and everything, and every nerve alive throughout her whole body as Poe hooked his hands around her hips and locked them under her legs, riding with her as she contracted and pulsed in his mouth, the honey of her climax coating his lips.

She had died. She was alive. She was divine.

When the pulses ebbed, she took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. Her chest heaved as she tried to suck in much oxygen in through her nose as possible. She felt Rose slide down next to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her closer, nuzzling her neck.

“That’s what an orgasm feels like,” Rose whispered.


	2. Rey, Tested and Bested

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Kylo met.  
Then Rey and Kylo meet again.

The pavilion of Keshla had been transformed into a moonlit paradise, the warm oppressive heat of the late summer easing into the cool kiss of the night’s air, and gratefully, a clear sky. The fabric covering the raised dais had been switched to pale shades of white and beige with the ribbons cascading from the cabins set to match. Displayed along the length of a carved oak table inlaid with pearl and jadeite was a masterpiece; a decadent meal of hare, buttered rolls, salted trout and seasoned greens.

A feast fit for a Prince. A nights’ banquet for a pirate.

Poe, ever the event planner, had set the deck of Keshla to his pleasings. Jessika stared out over the water from her place near a harp, eyes sharp and body tensed as she knew she would be the first thing Kylo Ren and his Knights would see as they boarded the barge. Pammich and Kaydel were fluttering about, fussing over last details, flower arrangements, incense censers, and small things Rey could give a rat’s fart about. She just had to pretend to care she cared.

In the distance was the Finalizer. Rey frowned. What a…nefarious thing to call a ship. Home One, Raddus, and Ninka were the names of ships she’d grown up hearing about. The Finalizer sounded so...dark. But then again, a names like Echo of Hope and Destiny would be names that someone like Ben Solo would choose if he ever had a ship. She was dealing with a darksider. Finalizer fit. She huffed when she realized she was making assumptions about two personalities of a man she’d never met instead of paying attention.

_“It’s a Star Destroyer,” Pammich had once said, her voice whispery and awe struck as she talked about Kylo Ren’s ship. “One of the biggest ships in existence. Not only on Chandrila, but in all of Core World.”_

_“Only thing bigger is the Supremacy. Damn thing would cast a shadow over every ship it docked next to,” Finn said, shuddering. “Never been on it, and I never wanted to be on it. Ben Solo was set to inherit the Millennium Falcon, but it was a pile of junk compared to what he had built.”_

Rey knew a thing or two about boats. It was one of her past times. Korr would tell her about notes, and she would tell him how to patch a hole in the hull of a boat with durasteel. In her travels, she became efficient at it, scavenging pieces and putting them together to construct makeshift homes along the sea. She wondered about the makings of The Finalizer. What she would find if she peeled it apart, dissected it. How the pieces fit together after she touched it.

Up close, the Finalizer was a thing of beauty. She gawked at it, amazed, until Rose approached, obscuring her view by lowering her veil.

“I’m going below,” she whispered, running a soothing hand down Rey’s back. Rey gave a helpless whimper in response. “Adorae, everything will be just fine. Trust me, he’ll _love_ you. You’ll wow him. Of all the women I’ve met and of all the things I’ve heard of him, you are his equal. Just remember everything we taught you and you’ll be radiant.”

Yes. Rey repeated that to herself over and over and over again. _You are radiant. You are light_. She glanced up. “Light. Darkness. A balance.”

Rey watched as her two lifelines disappeared, Rose descending the steps, and Poe on her heels, winking before scuttling below the deck. _Right_. Rey inhaled deeply. _Right_. She now was the figurehead on deck, the one who’d set the flow. Instantly, she missed Rose’s imposing presence and Poe’s warm authority. Finn’s reassuring laughter would set her at ease, but he was aboard Ren’s Finalizer, fulfilling his duty as negotiator.

The Finalizer pulled alongside of Keshla and the row men stood to catch the ropes tossed from Kylo Ren’s crewmen. After the ropes were tied down, a wide and sturdy plank was balanced along the rails of Ren’s ship, before dropping with a crash, landing over the gap between.

“They’re here, girls!” Pammich whispered as she took a seat on one of the cushions on the dais, reaching into her corset to rearrange her cleavage. She fussed and frowned until they sat up high like two fresh baked buns. Jessika snorted at her antics at first but then decided it couldn’t hurt and did the same thing. Kaydel paid them no mind, working instead to angle her head just right. If Rey wasn’t about to throw up all over the deck, she would have laughed. 

First across the plank was a man who was honestly too pretty, an androgynous sort of beauty, muscles and beauty, that made Rey look and then look again. He stepped down and looked around, smirk firmly in place. He had deep set eyes like Rose, but while hers could be sharp and cutting, his were bright and jovial, as if he were looking for just the right person to tell a funny story.

Right behind him, glowering as their Captain bent down to whisper in their ear, was a female–

Wait. Rey bent towards Pammich. “I thought you and Finn said the Knights were men,” she whispered.

Pammich, for the most part, was eyeing the woman with a gleam that could only be described as ravenous. The woman was tall, maybe as tall as Rey, with deep lavender colored skin, and pale grey hair that flowed over her shoulders and down her back. “Never said that. Just that they were Knights.”

Rey’s eyes drifted from the Knights of Ren to their Master. He was still handsome as shit, and still in all black. That much hadn’t changed. However, getting a glimpse of him under the hood of his cloak, and seeing him now were two very different experiences.

_By all of the stars of Dosmit Raeh was he tall._

And then.

And then.

It’s like the cloak she’d first seen him in was made specifically to fool people, black enough that no light bounced off it so you really couldn’t tell just how…_massive_ Kylo Ren was. He was huge, simply huge. Something deep in her clenched at the sight. From her seat at the center of the dais, Rey felt her mouth drop open and kept it open. _Thank God for veils!_ She would have continued for as long as she pleased until Pammich elbowed her. Rey jumped and that was enough for her to stop viscerally eye fucking Kylo Ren long enough to drag her gaze over. In return, Pammich cleared her throat while her eyes flashed over to Knights waiting for introductions.

Right. _Right_. She was in charge. 

For a second, she was ready to bolt out of her seat and get it over with but remembered at the _very_ last minute to be like water, flowing out of her seat with as much elegance as she could muster. It was…not as graceful as it could have been. More of a fawn who’d just learned to walk a week prior. Crazy considered she _knew_ how to walk! _One demerit, Rey_. She walked across the deck, mimicking Rose as best as she could as she approached them.

_Breathe, Rey. Just breathe._

“Welcome to–” Rey croaked. The pretty one did a good job of hiding his humor behind his hand and for that Rey did not glare death at him. She paused and cleared her throat and tried again. “Welcome to Keshla. I hope your journey back to Alon was favorable?” She lifted a hand clutching a satin handkerchief to Ren. Later, she would pat herself on the back for not rolling her eyes while she waited for him to accept her favor. _A goddamn handkerchief. _Surely there were better ways to flirt.

“Yes, my lady. The winds were good. They knew what I was anxious,” and _those lips_ dipped to her knuckles, his eyes firmly on hers, as he pressed a kiss to them, “to return to.”

Rey’s knee buckled, slightly, just a little, not noticeable, but she decided to hide it behind a curtsy anyways.

This was going to be a _long_ night.

Introductions were made. Rey found out the man’s name was Azer Ren, a pretty boy to be sure, but he didn’t let the good looks fool anyone. He’d first made a name for himself after he’d fought his way through an entire crew of First Order pirates on a world called Mustafar, miles and miles away from Chandrila, all for the sake of jeweled chalice he had seen once in a book. Rumor was that he had fathered plenty of children all over Core World. When Jessika asked him how he knew such a thing, he said that every pretty child he came across with his eyes _had_ to be his.

It was the first time she’d ever seen Jessika stunned to silence.

Ren’s first mate was Naha Fey Ren of the Lost Tribe of Sith, a Keshiri woman who Ren said held the loyalty of hundred men and the skill of thousands. The mystery must have been a part of her whole charm because while Azer told them just about _everything_, Naha revealed close to nothing.

Ren, himself, was the youngest pirate in all of Chandrila, or so he said, commandeering his first ship while still a teen. Not the Millennium Falcon–this, no one said–but a smaller ship called “Chosen One”. Of course, Rey knew all of this, but she applauded herself for the amount of feigned surprise was able to drum up surprise when he told her he’d become the Captain of the Finalizer at the age of twenty-two.

The dinner was calm affair mostly because Rey had been taught not to talk with her mouth full. Rey was _really_ going at it, like she would on any normal day, clearing her plate without any grace–she was _hungry_. Azer regarded her like she was either the most entertaining person he’d ever met, or an adorable yet feral animal, but still politely handed her a napkin when some of her soup leaked out of the side of her mouth. Ren studied her like he’d never seen someone eat before. Maybe it seemed strange because the girls weren’t eating at all, something about bloating and flat stomachs, and really, how are you supposed to keep up a rigorous activity like fucking without food?

Either way, she shot him a smile, cheeks bulging, and something in her chest warmed when he laughed at her. A soft thing, but amused.

The girls had also selected their picks for the night. Pammich, the sly wench, had sat herself beside Naha fey, plying the woman with liquor and asking question after question, most unanswered, about Kesh. Azer plopped himself between Jessika and Kaydel and skillfully multitasked in courting them both. Neither girl seemed to mind, laughing at his dumb jokes, and batting their eyes when he tried to turn the conversation towards his stamina.

Once she was good and done with her meal, Rey turned to Ren and gestured towards the back of the ship. “Care to join me?” she asked as she stood, and without waiting for him to answer, walked to the rails. For a moment she said nothing, enjoying, as she always had, the wind dancing through her hair and over her skin. 

For a long moment, Rey did not but stare up at the stars, her mind falling into muscle memory by trying to think of another story for another star. This star, hovering portside, Rey called Takadona. It was lush and green, and she was there, running through the woods, a staff in her hand and her heart in her throat.

“Am I boring you?” Ren tapped her on the nose through the veil, chuckling as her head jerked towards him in surprise. _Shit_. For a moment, she forgot he’d even joined her.

“Oh, no. Not at all–sorry. It’s just, when I’m out here.” And she looked back up. “When I’m under these stars… It’s just–look at them. They are beautiful. I think about a different me, one who could explore all of them. I am powerful in these visions. I am a different person,” she finished with a whisper. She chanced a glance at him and found him staring at her. No. Not just staring at her. His heated gaze was locked on to her and she felt he was taking her apart bit by bit, just like she would do with his ship given the chance.

Rey cleared her throat and took a step back to look at his outfit. “You and all your black. Wearing the darkness like you would keep all my secrets.” Her eyes drifted to the water again before turning on her feet to lean her back against the rail. She craned her neck back to look at him. “Tell me what it’s like to be a pirate.”

Kylo Ren wagged a finger. “Mariner.”

Rey snorted and the look he gave her was one of surprise. As if he weren’t use to courtesans–or anybody–laughing in his face. “If it makes you feel better to call yourself a mariner, then that’s what I’ll call you. But aren’t darksiders supposed to, well, dark and dangerous? Are we not but creatures of danger, Captain?”

He took a step closer, looming with all his height and fresh smell. She could feel his heat, his energy, his presence, not just physically. As if he were inside of her head. She shivered in response.

“To be a…pirate,” he tried, chewing on the word, “a darksider, is to know passion. Through passion, I gain strength. And through strength, I gain power. Through power, victory. With victory, I am free.”

“Free?” Rey had only been free for a handful of years, and it was the one thing she hadn’t grown accustomed to, but the one thing she would fight to keep. To _feel_ inherently free…

But Kylo didn’t seem as free as he let on. There was a sadness in his eyes, a haunting story that lingered even when he smiled. Rey was no healer. She didn’t believe she had the power to vanquish demons for others, not when she still had so many to fight herself. But for a moment, she wanted to lift the heaviness from his shoulders. She could give him that tonight, maybe.

He was still watching her, his gaze lowered, his honey brown eyes darkening as they traveled the length of her body and Rey knew that _that_ was something she could give him. Rey had never commanded anything close to the desire that Ren showcased before and it emboldened her. Made her feel as sultry as Pammich, as flirtatious as Kaydel, and as wild as Jessika. Before she could change her mind, she reached for his hands, and placed them on the top of her hips.

She felt him inhale sharply. Interesting.

“A lift?” She nodded towards Keshla’s wooden rails.

Kylo eyed the rail warily, and then over the side of the boat to the waters below. “That’s dangerous,” he rumbled. Yet, he didn’t pull away from her.

“I know,” she whispered. It wasn’t the first time she’d felt it, but here, she felt an intoxicating pull towards the darkness, the darkness she found in him. “That’s why I want you to do it.”

This time it was him clearing his throat. He picked her up like she weighed nothing– like she was feather or a leaf or a cloud. Thoughts of how easily he would manhandle her in bed had her licking her lips. The ferocity of her desire was shocking, but she _did_ feel wild. Dangerous. She was wild. Her nervousness was all but gone, replaced by an eagerness to get under this man’s skin, live within him, roam free, side saddle to his want for her.

“What compelled you to the dark?” she asked as she plucked at his collar. He tried to take a step back, remove his hands, but Rey was not having that. She laid her hands on top of his, a silent command, before placing them back on his shoulders. She _loved_ his shoulders.

Kylo Ren drummed his fingers along her hips in thought. “There were things I wanted that I could only found in the dark.”

“Were?”

He hummed as if that were an answer and his eyes dipped to her neck before coming back to her face. “You’ve asked a thousand questions, tonight. So, let me ask you something.”

“Well, I suppose,” she said, grinning. She leaned into him, her lips hovering near his. All she had to do–all he had to do was–lean forward and…

“What’s it like to be desired, Rose?”

Rose.

Involuntarily, Rey’s eyes squeezed shut, her heart dropped to the bottom of her stomach, and all of this happened so fast that for a moment she felt dizzy. Rey’s been through a lot of shit but if she took a step back and examined this to scale, then nothing that had happened to her, _nothing_, had been this altering in such a short span of time. What? Two hours, all caught up in her bright shiny new strings of attraction, and she’d forgotten why she was there, and _why_ she was there and damn it. Damn it.

_You are not Rose. Not really. Not ever. You are Rey._

She smiled around the urge to be silent. To say nothing. To confess. To walk off this damn deck and go to sleep.

“To be desired? Largely unfamiliar with that to be honest,” she muttered.

“You question your desirability?” It wasn’t really a question, not really, more incredulity than anything, confusion that she would even say such a thing. He searched her face, eyes narrowed. “No. That isn’t it. Let’s say I believed you. Let’s say that you couldn’t tell how ever bit of me wants every bit of you right now. That you weren’t aware I wanted to swallow you whole.” And, impossibly he stepped closer, bringing that delicious scent of charred firewood and sweet smoke with him.

Without breaking eye contact, Ren took her hands in his and brought her palm to his mouth, his plush lips pressing against it. Warm breath against skin before a tongue snaked out and dragged slowly, _slowly,_ across her lifeline. “Then give me a chance to show you.”

_This is death and he is the harbinger of it._

_And she was gladly willing to die, right now._

She glanced up around the hull of the barge, wondering if anyone saw Kylo Ren’s wanton display but the hull was empty. Jessika’s harp long abandoned and the last twist of Pammich’s hair disappeared as she shut her cabin door close, Naha Fey close behind her.

That only left her and the Captain of the Finalizer.

It was too late to back out now, so Rey lightly pulled her hand from his grasp and hopped down from the rail. Walking backwards, she motioned with a finger for him to follow her. Up and over the pavilion, she led, and he chased, until they were at the cabin door.

The room was set up to conceal Rey’s identity as well as set a decadent atmosphere for two lovers, although to Rey, the word lover was pushing it. Client was more truthful.

A multitude of small candles lined the shelves and the scent of amber and morga filled her nose. Rey took a glance around, noticing how low the lights were. A few steps from the door was a low lying table with Rose’s Alquerques board on top of it, the black and white game pieces already set in their respective places.

_You can do this. You _want_ to do this. You are radiant. You are light_. _Light. Darkness. A balance._

When Rey heard the door shut behind her, she inhaled whatever courage she had left and whirled on him, sinking low so she could sit on the edge of the bed. “Let’s play a game.”

“Yes,” he breathed and immediately began stalking towards her and the bed, intent, his eyes dark with lust, so Rey raised her foot to his chest. He stopped with a surprised grunt.

“Don’t you want to know what the game is?” she asked, coltishly, blinking up at him.

Kylo Ren eyed her, before dragging his hands to the Alquerques board. “And what are the rules?” he asked as tugged off her slipper. It hit the floor with a soft thunk.

“You’re getting ahead of yourself, Captain.”

“Call me, Kylo. Call me _yours_.”

_Kriff, he is eager._ _And dramatic_. “You know the rules I presume?” He nodded as he reached for her other foot. “For every man of yours I take, you lose a piece of clothing.”

A raised brow. “And if I take yours?”

“You lose another. Those two of mine you just removed without permission will cost you.” She sat back, smirk deepening. Rey didn’t have a wealth of talent compared to the other girls, but gambling? She was a pro. “Or we could do money… and stay completely clothed. I think I would like to spend yours.” His gaze narrowed at her, and his bottom lips poked out in a pout. “Kylo,” she purred. “You don’t like the rules?”

“Not that I don’t like them.” Yep, he _was_ sulking. “They just aren’t fair.”

“I don’t think I listed “fair” as one of the rules. What did you say earlier? Through passion, I gain strength. And through strength, I gain power? Trust me, Captain. You will be free by the end of the night.”

Despite Rose’s training, Rey was doing a lot better than she thought herself capable. Maybe it was the power she had knowing he would do whatever she wanted right now. Or maybe…this felt natural. Inherently salient. That she kept forgetting who she was and delighted in the fact that she could be a siren of darkness, could lure a former son of light into the shadows with her.

“But I’ll give you this. For every piece of clothing you lose, I have to remove it for you.” She gleamed wickedly at him, and petulant look gave way to something else, his expression was unreadable in the dark and that thrilled her, too.

The gameplay of Alquerques was simple enough; move and take the other team’s ‘man’ in a series of jumps and side steps, maneuvering yourself to the opposite side of the board to be declared the winner. Rey may have been good at Alquerques, but Kylo Ren was a master strategizer, and her competitive streak had her almost growling when her first piece flew off the board in a matter of minutes.

Then again, she got to keep her clothes. She slinked over to him, catlike, studying which piece of clothing should go first. She had a burning desire to see what he kept under that black cotton shirt, to see if he was as firm as he looked, as broad as he looked, how his chest,] and tree trunk arms were really stressing the seams of it…but she only had one piece to work with. She unhooked a thick, black forearm guard, snickering as he frowned at her choice.

“It’s awfully hot in here, Rose. Try for my tunic next–it unsnaps very easily, you see. Or even my pants”

She tossed the guard behind her. “Patience, Kylo.”

In a shameless move to get undressed quicker, he made a swift move on his turn, jumping over another one of her pieces, sending it flying. She took the other forearm guard. On her first win, she slid the cracked red kyber crystal hanging on a string from around his neck. After she’d captured another one of his men, she moved for one of his boots, but he obviously wasn’t having it. He stood abruptly, kicking off the boot she was eyeing, then plucking at the snaps of his tunic.

“But I haven’t–” She looked at him from the floor as he practically tore the garment from torso.

“Oh, right. Your rules,” he almost sneered. He counted the pieces left on the board, then down at his clothes. He kicked the board over, his laughter deep and throaty as the pieces went flying. “Four pieces left, four pieces of clothes.” He yanked the snaps that kept his shirt closed but apparently that was taking too long. If Rey wasn’t shocked speechless, she would help. Snarling, he grabbed the hem of his black shirt and tugged it over his head. Rey’s breath caught in her throat.

While Kylo Ren was preoccupied with getting his other boot off, it left Rey with enough time to appreciate how impressive he was. Solid. Powerful. Beautiful. She wanted–she didn’t know exactly what she wanted but with every piece of clothing he discarded, a pang of hunger laced through her. As his pants went flying, the black briefs he wore under did a good job of hiding…him…from her, so her gaze drifted lower to his thighs. Gods. There was so much of him. A statue carved in flesh and muscle.

He was soon near her, over her, crossing the room faster than her mind had processed. The pirate pulled her up from her squatted position, again like she weighed nothing, and hauled her up. Rey didn’t think, she just obeyed what her body wanted, wrapped her legs around his waist, tapered, but just as sinewy and hard as the rest of him. He pressed forward and her back slammed into the wall of the cabin, the pain almost as delicious as the first feel of something hard, and warm, and–_big_. He was truly big everywhere.

His lips were on her neck, hot and moist but they were soon replaced by a large palm and long fingers, wrapping around her neck. A knot was forming itself at the base of her belly, tugging tighter and tighter just as his hand was.

“You feel so good,” he murmured as he rolled his hips, groaning, and Rey–Rey was a mess. She could feel how slick she is, how damp. And Rey knew that she could come, just from this, him thick and hard and grinding against her, his whimpers and moans, hot in her ear. The slight pressure against her throat, the dizziness she felt. She couldn’t help but to touch him, to try and make him feel as good as he made her. But he was so broad, and the angle prevented her reaching between them and into his briefs.

“No,” he breathed against her neck when he felt what she was trying to do. “No.”

For a moment, Rey wondered what she could have done wrong and opened her mouth to ask but then he is lifting her, depositing her on Rose’s bed, and hovering over her, caging her under his body.

He maneuvered himself between her legs and Rey primed herself in anticipation, but when she looked up at him, the same sort of bemusement he’d shown at dinner was on his face. It was kinder, softer.

“You’re shaking.”

Rey opened her mouth to tell him of course she was shaking–she was _right _there and instead of taking her over the edge, he was talking. But then Rey noticed that she was shaking. Her entire body was vibrating with tension and it wasn’t because of a looming orgasm. She didn’t quite understand it, but she didn’t quite understand orgasms, either–she’d only had one in her entire life. Still, this wasn’t the time. This night was not about her.

Rey squared her shoulders, lifted her head, and looked him dead in the eye, mustering every ounce of courage she could find. “Put your cock in me.”

Bold. _Crass_. Inelegant and ineloquent. But bold.

It had the opposite effect. Kylo Ren stiffened in her arms. He pulled back to study her, except this time there was a war of confusion in his eyes. Wanting to help him with whatever he was hesitant about, she planted her feet on the mattress and pressed her hips up into him. He hissed but didn’t move.

“Rose,” he said, plaintive.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, trying to not sound annoyed.

“Here I am, throwing you over my shoulder and marching you off to bed.” His head dipped and if Rey was reading him correctly, he looked ashamed. “Forgive me.”

_Oh, kriffin hells_. Now, she was the confused one. “You don’t need to–to–I’m _fine_. I am a courtesan; this is a part of the–”

“You’ve heard stories about me, and I’m not going to sit here and debunk the false ones. I’m not a good man. I’m not a nice man and you know I can take what I want. But _that _is not who I am. You are still a woman with boundaries that should be respected.”

“_What_ are you talking about?” She couldn’t hide her annoyance anymore. Of course she was a woman who had boundaries and of course in a perfect world they should be respected. This was not a perfect world. Far from it. This was a world where men did take what they wanted and if you weren’t armed or couldn’t run fast enough, they got what they were after. He’d paid for her, however. Paid. Whatever he wanted, he wouldn’t be taking. It was his. 

He smiled, a plangent, unhappy one, and ran his thumb across her cheek until he came to her ear where the veil ties held fast. Rey didn’t understand how she forget it was there but was suddenly glad for it because it obscured how she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. He wrapped his hands around hers and pulled them both to the sitting.

“The veil. You only remove it when you trust someone. When you are ready to accept them as your lover.” He looked away. “I knew that but I still…”

She fingered the fabric between her two fingers, not sure if she was thankful or disappointed he stopped because of a stupid slip of gauze.

Pirates, from her stories, were not known for their restraint, and as her gaze slipped to his obvious erection, she wondered why he was restraining himself for her. He didn’t know her, he didn’t know Rose, and he hadn’t come here to court a woman.

He came here to fuck a courtesan, veil or no veil.

Rey realized that she couldn’t very well remove the veil, but she did want him to know that she trusted him, in all the ways that it counted in this cabin, on this night. She trusted him–this connection she felt to him. An intrinsic trust that he wouldn’t hurt her. That she was safe with him.

“Can I tell you a secret?” She scooted across the bed until their thighs touched and laid her head on his bare shoulder.

Kylo Ren nuzzled the top of her head with his cheek. “You can tell me anything.”

“I’m not myself tonight.” She looked down from her position on his shoulder to his hand, turning it over to gaze at his palm. She repeated his actions from earlier, this time tracing the dark brown lifeline with the tip of her finger. “The night has allowed me to be someone else.”

“Well then, who’s the real you, Rose?”

_Not Rose. And I wish I could tell you that._ _I wished that you would still want me the same way if I was just Rey._

“The real me?” She blew a huff out between her lips. “I like…taking things apart. Fixing things that are broken. Discarded. The unromantic parts, the unwanted, and misunderstood.”

Ren chuckled humorlessly. “Sounds like someone I know.” He jostled his shoulder a bit. Rey’s head bobbed with the movement and she laughed softly. “What else?”

“I like reading. I was forced mostly, to learn how to write as a child but I never enjoyed it until I stumbled across this book. One Thousand and One Nights. It wasn’t in Basic, so at first I had to entertain myself with the pictures. Then on Jakku, a woman helped me translate it out of Teedospeak.” Rey thought of the old woman, maybe the only mother figure she’d ever had, even if it was only for a few months. “Now I read until I fall asleep, sometimes waking with my nose in the crook of a book. I also love the water, I can swim for hours. That’s why I chose Alon of all cities to come to–the water. Stars. I am infatuated with them. I, uh, I hate pearls, but I love japor and sometimes–”

Rey stopped. “Am I boring you to death?”

“No,” he said with a rumbling laugh. “Never. It’s…interesting. Your love of stars. Your love of reading. I’m more manly brawn than read scholar even if it too was expected of me. Once. I’m…not that man anymore, either.”

Ben Solo, she thought. Instead of asking him about his name like she wanted, Rey kissed his cheek through her veil. “You’re perfect, Captain.

“First time I’ve ever heard that.”

“Well, you are. I mean you’re a bit of a brat, and obviously used to having your way.” She looked over to the Alquerques board on its side. “Rumor says you are brooding, selfish, mercurial man. But not to me,” Rey whispered.

He tilted his head. “Do all courtesans act like this?”

“No, at least not the good ones,” she muttered. Rey frowned and averted her eyes.

“Can I kiss you?”

Not the response she was expecting. Not from him. Not for her.

“Nothing more than a kiss, I promise. I’ll close my eyes, so you don’t break your rule.”

_Absolutely_. Rey nodded, trying not to seem eager but she was _very_ eager. She felt his warm hands slide up the column of her neck until his thumbs rested on her jaw, callused skin skimming over her cheek, rough and tormenting and beautiful.

The first press of his lips was soft, right above her collarbone, and Rey gave herself a moment to get lost in this, the feeling of him, and the smell of him. Why did he have to feel and smell so damn good? Her eyes were squeezed so tight that the feeling right on the tip of her chin as he nudged the veil out of the way surprised her.

The fabric crept up slowly, over her chin, her lips, her nose, and she peeked an eye open to see if his were still closed. They were.

When he finally did kiss her, it wasn’t patient, or gentle. His lips were plush, and there was experience here, experience she lacked. He tilted his head, tilted her in the other direction as if he sensed she was lost. And then he was kissing her, and kissing her, and kissing her more.

Rey moaned and he swallowed it, like it was his to have.

It was delicious. And short lived. He pulled back with a sharp inhale, his eyes wide with…with–damn it! It was so hard to read him sometimes.

“Kylo? What’s wrong?”

“I…I can’t do this.”

Rey pulled her chin. “You can’t do what?”

“This,” he snarled.

Rey laughed. Good and loud. _Of course, he could_. Rey reached for him, words such as unpredictable, and ridiculous, and _a tease_ coming to mind. “Come back to me.”

Instead, he took a step back, stumbling and looking stupid. Not generally, just right now. He looked stupid and lost and–

“Rose, I–” Then he was a panicked, fumbling mess, snatching up his shirt and tunic and armguards. He raced for the door, balancing on one leg and shoving his other through his pants.

Rey was so…flabbergasted that she didn’t even try to stop him again. She just watched him leave.

“Please forgive me, Rose.” 

Rey looked at the door slamming shut behind him.

“What.”

Kylo Ren sat in the Captain’s cabin aboard the Finalizer staring at the wall. He’d been staring at that same wall for hours. He wasn’t even sure he’d blinked in all that time. He should bash his head into it, feel something other than absolutely foolish, something that would make him stronger, pain he could feed off of.

Usually when Kylo lost control, people lost their lives. Once, someone, his uncle, told him that there was no death, that we never truly lost anyone. And despite his distaste for his uncle and those priest at the House of Light, that one had always stuck with him.

_There is no death, Ben. Only the Force._

Kylo could be ruthless, manipulative, mean, but he knew that life held value. He knew about respect. That the force did live in all creatures, so who was he to needlessly disregard that in someone else, no matter their station.

Rose was force sensitive like he was. That wasn’t the crux of his problem but nice chunk of it. His problem was that the revelation had come in the grasping heat of lust. No, want. _Desire_. He’d been…horny before. But it’d never caused him to lose sight of who he was, the control he had over his new life.

What he did last night…

That wasn’t him. That was–Solo. Ben Solo. Emotional, a fucking sap, thinking with his heart and not his head. He was _not_ that man anymore.

The sun had peaked and sat high in the sky by the time he heard his Knights returning to the ship, mighty loud and boisterous for two people who probably had their brains screwed out of their heads last night. His crewmen had returned earlier before dawn, having spent their night at the House of Mai, and were currently preparing the Finalizer to sail to Junari Point for supplies, then off to…whatever destination Naha Fey had in mind.

Speak of the devil. Naha Fey knocked on his door, once, for courtesy sake, before opening it faint moments later. He cursed the day he’d had it installed, her first mate cabin adjourned to his by one lousy door that the Keshiri never hesitated to use whenever she wanted.

“Where the hell were you?” She slammed the door behind her and instead of greeting him like a reasonable First Mate would, the Knight sauntered across his cabin, up the stairs, and to his bed, lifting the mattress to unearth Kylo Ren’s hidden chest of Chandrilian raava. “They wanted to treat us to breakfast, but nobody could find your sulky ass so we gotta feed ourselves now.” She brandished the liquor as if it were a proper substitute.

“I…I left early. Work.” Kylo Ren averted his eyes because if it was one thing Naha Fey Ren was good at it, it was reading him like a book.

“You’re a bullshittin’ liar if I ever saw one.” Naha was _so_ very chatty early in the morning. She popped the cork on the glass bottle and took a swig, swishing it around her mouth before swallowing.

“Get a glass, you uncultured Sithspawn.” She snorted at that and took another drink. “And–and you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I love how you’ve deluded yourself into thinking that I can’t smell your bullshit. That you’re smarter than me.” She offered the raava to Kylo Ren with a nod, urging him to drink, but he pushed the bottle away. “You don’t think I saw you returning to no, _running_ back to the ship? In the middle of the night, slinking away like some Huttese thief?” Another swig. “Let me guess. To cure your apparently unending heartbreak–over everything, Bazine, life, the fact that other people exist–you find yourself drooling over a woman you heard a damn song about, and then lose your nerves when you finally get a night alone with her.”

Ren returned to staring at the wall, glowering, refusing to answer her.

“Good thing you’re _kriffin_ rich, because you just paid a king’s ransom convincing that lady that you’re full of shit.”

“That’s _not_ what happened.”

“Then what did happen, Ren?” He still refused to answer, and this time Naha Fey Ren laughed. “You’ve got your feelings coming out of your ass. Biggest bleeding heart I’ve ever seen, considering you don’t have one.”

Naha was right, and he wanted to take that bottle over her head for it. Truth be told, he tended to be a romantic. No, not romantic. Passionate. Intense was the word his mother had used. Extreme was the word his uncle chose. His father thought he was zealous. About everything. But passion? Yes. All it had taken was Mondrian’s song about Rose and her veil for him to become completely obsessed–_intense, extreme, zealous_.

What did she look like? Few knew.

What did she sound like? No one could recall.

What was she like in bed? And they all laughed at him.

“Cold as ice, she is. Don’t take no shit from the likes of me but she might take some from the likes of you,” some foul mouth nobleman had told him. By the time they had returned to Alon, he followed the rumor trail right up to a little spitfire negotiator named Finn. After a full day working through his terms, he’d managed to become a contender for her affections and attention for every time he docked portside.

But the thing was, Rose hadn’t been cold. She had been witty, and dry humored, and warm, full of life, and she had the softest and sweetest mouth he’d ever tasted in his life.

Fuck.

How was he supposed to survive if he fell for a courtesan?

He scrubbed his hair with his free hand, the other clutched around the handkerchief she’d given him.

Naha Fey sighed, the noise sounding almost disgusted. “Get yourself together, Benjamin Amidala Organa-Solo.”

Kylo reacted to hearing his birth name by reaching for his dagger. The Kesh woman kicked his elbow before he could get a hand around it. “Fuck you and fuck off. As I was saying. You have a lifetime to drink in the sweetness of Rose. No need to get yourself all worked up over the first night.”

She was right per usual. And this was ridiculous. He was Kylo _fucking_ Ren, Captain of the Finalizer, and the Master of the Knights of Ren. No one cowered him. No one scared him.

Rose. Except for Rose.

“You don’t understand,” Ren whined. Azer and Naha were the only people on this planet who’d ever heard him do such a thing. “I walked out on her last night. I’ve as much as forfeited my riches. You honestly think she’d talk to me after that?”

“You purchased her time, not her feelings. I think the only one who doesn’t understand that between the two of you is you.”

“Danish, Danish, I don’t what this is but…”

Finn plucked the orange tinted confectionary from the platter and plopped it on his plate. He needed to fuel up. He had to journey into Hanna City today and nothing, _nothing_ drained him like dealing with the people in Hanna City. If it wasn’t the overbearing nobles, it was the henpecking politicians, and if it wasn’t them, it was those fuddy-ruddy priests and their fuddy-ruddy kyber crystals that they wouldn’t stop moaning about. Luckily, DJ had shown him some back passages the last time he’d visited so he could avoid the Row of Holy Light and the priest’s godforsaken screeching.

He was reaching for a purple sea apple when he saw a tall blob of black standing at his side.

And Finn screamed.

And Kylo Ren looked down at him like that wasn’t the proper way to react to some wraith like man appearing out of thin air.

“K-Kylo Ren! What are you doing here? I–I thought…”

“I’m here to see Rose.” He squared his shoulders and marched around Finn and towards her cabin. _Nobody respected him or the rules!_ He couldn’t just come aboard whenever he felt like it, Captain or not! And– and!–he was going to kill Poe for not getting the plank up earlier. Dropping his plate, Finn intercepted the pirate by hastily skidding to a stop in front of him, hands flat against his chest.

“Wait a minute, good sir!” He turned his head back towards Rose’s cabin panicked beyond reason. “KYLO REN! WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE THIS FINE MORNING? HERE TO SEE ROSE, ARE YA? THE ROSE YOU ENTERTAINED LAST NIGHT?! WELL, I DON’T KNOW! WHERE COULD SHE BE?”

There was a screech and a maelstrom of noise behind her door and Finn groaned. She got to take the night off and she still overslept?

That _woman_.

Inside, Rose was panicking. Not her usual overdramatic flair for faux panicking, no. Actual real chest tearing panic. _Where in the hell is my veil?_ Oh. Right. Rey has it. _Improvise, Rose. Inspiration lived in the throes of improvisations! _You could quote her on that. She splashed some water on her face to wake herself up and flew to the door, grabbing the end of a curtain and holding it against her face.

Finn, bless his heart, was trying to keep the Captain from storming her cabin like she was an opposing warlord, but it was a fight he was losing. Mainly because Kylo Ren was _huge_. She wouldn’t be surprised if he picked Finn up and tossed him overboard. Peeking from behind the door cracked open just a smidgen, she shrugged in appreciation. _Not half bad._

“How can I help you, Captain?” she called from the safety of her room.

Kylo Ren’s head shot up at the sound of her voice, and for a faint moment, his eyes narrowed in confusion. Shit. Rey had a Coruscanti accent. She opened her mouth the try again but Kylo Ren dropped to one knee and _what in the stars’ name was happening?_

“I came to apologize for last night.” _Nice voice_. “What I did was reprehensible. I’m…” and he hesitated like it was difficult to get the next words out. “I am sorry.”

Rose blinked, long and slow. Although Rose found if very odd that instead of her cabin, she found Rey asleep in her own sleeping quarters deep in the belly of the barge instead of nestled in her satin sheets with two strong arms wrapped around her, she hadn’t said much. Maybe the woman really liked her bed. And maybe the Captain was an actual lunatic.

Not that it mattered. She’d bedded worse.

“I-I-I forgive you!” she said, this time trying hard to mimic Rey’s accent. _Why hadn’t neither of them thought of that before now?_ How in the hell was she going to explain that away? _She definitely couldn’t keep it up. _“You can leave now!”

Kylo Ren didn’t seem to like that answer. “Won’t you come out so I can at least look at you?”

_Oh, for force’s sake, man! Just leave!_

The medication for her rash numbed her from the waist down and was making it very hard to stand. “Captain. I am not dressed for your–your–uh–splendor and great manliness and…those…shoulders!”

Finn snorted. He actually snorted. Fine. she’d sort him out in a minute. “And never worry my love! I’ll see you soon enough! Have a safe trip! Good day! Good bye!”

She slammed the door closed and sunk deeper into her cabin, finding a seat fast before she collapsed.

Rose came stomping into the kitchen later, a letter clutched to her chest like it had personally offended her. “You told him to write me a letter?” Rose hissed at Finn.

“Yes. Or, I could have let him tell you what he wanted to say. To your face. How would you have liked that?”

Rose pulled a face at the negotiator before bumping him out of her way to stalk to where Rey was sitting at the kitchen table. She brandished the letter like sword. “You do the honors. Last thing I want is a play by play account, if you don’t mind.”

Play by play. Rey snorted. Oh, how Rose would be disappointed in the lack of dalliance coverage she would find. Not that Rose’s disappointment would bother her as much as her eternal mortification currently was. It was given. She knew she might be bad at the whole courtesan business, but not only had she talked a man _back_ into his pants, she’d also caused him to flee like her cunt was some kind of evil Venus flytrap here to geld him clean. He hadn’t even touched it!

Feeling like shit, she’d slunk back to her quarters, replaced Rose’s fine gown with her regular clothing, got in bed, and refused to come out until Rose almost knocked her door down wanting an explanation as to why a gloomy Kylo Ren had stood on their deck and apologized like some sort of lost and lonely schoolboy.

Oh, _that_ pissed her off.

_Well, how in the hell was she supposed to know? He was the one who ran! Ask him. Kriffin moofmilker son of sith._

The letter, the one currently hovering in front of her, had come hours later and now she was fighting off four courtesans and a negotiator to get to the latest gossip. She wanted to remind them that _she_ was the latest gossip. Rey tried to snatch the letter out of Rose’s hand, but it was as if the courtesan thought better at the last minute, and instead of handing it over, unfolded it.

“My dearest, Rose,” Rose read loudly, turning to the rest of the girls and mouthing a ‘that’s me.’

_My dearest, Rose,_

_I come on bended knee to sincerely apologize. Although you accepted my pitiful pleas this morning, I would like the chance to apologize again and tell you how much I enjoyed your company. Your warmth and your laugh…your lips–”_

Rose paused and narrowed her eyes at Rey. “You never told me you kissed him.”

Rey waved her off. “I was supposed to do a lot more, remember? Go on.”

“Well, what _did_ you do?”

“You said you didn’t want a recount. The letter, please?”

_I managed to pluck a copy of One Thousand and One Nights from a fisherman’s wife in Junari Point_ _and I hope to be done by the time we see each other again._

_With your name on my lips and your song in my heart, I shall miss you ‘till I see your lovely face again._

_Kylo Ren_

Rose whistled low as she rolled the missive up and handed it over. “Well done, Adorae! And to think you thought you did a terrible job.” She walked over to the cupboard and plucked a yellow fruit Rey had never seen before. She turned and tossed it to her. “You have him on the sword in one night. I’m thinking we should all be frightened of you!”

Rey tried to smile at the compliment, because Rose did not hand them off very often, but the only thing Rey could hear were Kylo Ren’s words, playing over and over again in her mind.

_Your warmth and your laugh…your lips…_

As the weeks passed, more and more letters came, all entitled to Rose but written with Rey in mind. And each time a letter came, Rose came tearing into her cabin in frustration.

“What kind of life changing conversation did you two have for all of this? Do either of you understand that One Thousand and One Nights is written in a completely different language–”

“Teedospeak,” Rey supplied. Rose glared and Rey gave her a big bright smile because that always worked.

“–and I won’t even begin to ask how both of you know such a thing–”

“Well. He’s a pirate, and I’ve spent most of my life, a wanderer. You pick things up quickly like that.”

“–but,” Rose huffed, exasperated. “I can’t answer these questions!” She flung the parchment at her and marched out of the room, very dramatically, trails of fabric and fragrance whirling around her like a pretty tempest. Rey waited the appropriate amount of time–hearing Rose stomp of the steps, silence, more silence, because the conversation was never truly done until Rose said so–until she flung herself on the bed and _squealed_. She carefully unrolled the letter, inhaling his scent embedded in the parchment.

By now, with a pile of letters sitting by her bed, she had learned to ignore Rose’s name. It was easy.

_My Dearest, Rose,_

_I’m trying to figure out which one of Scheherazade's tales is your favorite. Is it The Fisherman and Jinni? The Story of Qamar alZaman? Are you in love with Sinbad? Do I remind you of Sinbad? Don’t tell me, I want to figure it out for myself. Till I see you again._

_Kylo Ren_

Kylo Ren,

I know you don’t want me to tell you, however much I desire to, so I will leave you with a hint. Only because I want to occupy all the corners of your mind, and I’m afraid that Sinbad might try to slip his way in. Sinbad is only a shade in comparison to you. He is nothing and you are everything. Until you return, I will wait.

Rose

_My Dearest Rose,_

_I wrote a poem for you today, but a seagull decided it would be better suited for its dinner, so I am without. I apologize but I shall return with a prize greater than a few lines scratched across parchment. Although I do say, when I happened to rhyme ‘Rose, for all others, I forgo’, I was personally pleased with myself. Are you smiling? I know you would be. I can’t wait for the day when you let me see your smile for real._

_Hopefully it is soon._

_With all my heart and desire,_

_Kylo Ren_

She giggled like a schoolgirl with the last one, rolling it up and placing it with the others. In a perfect world, where she employed her perfectly good sense, she understood how entirely stupid and wildly dangerous she was being. Even if she had been coerced into the situation to begin with, she was _t h i s_ close to falling for Rose’s patron. And it was stupid and it was dumb but Rey had survived in a lot of situations by being stupid and dumb.

She knew she’d never spend another night in his arms, or hear his deep laughter, or watch him watching her. She _knew_ that. But just for today, she’d pretend that it was all for her. The letters, the looks, the kisses, the want that he was unabashed to show.

She was tripping and stumbling uphill towards trouble, smiling like a fool, all the while knowing she would eventually fall.

Stupid.

A dummy.

A fool.

Rey opened her eyes and squeezed them shut, realizing that the pile of letters by her bed had grown so high, they’d began encroaching on her curtain’s space, slowly and surely pushing it aside. The sun had filled her room, and more importantly, her vision. And it _hurt_. Well, less because of the sun, if she was being honest, and more because she’d spent the night biting back embarrassing sobs and furiously wiping away tears that just wouldn’t fucking end.

Her body felt heavy, like something was pressing her into her mattress–not like a body, the sweet pressure of someone else’s weight–but sheer exhaustion. Sighing, Rey pulled herself out of bed and plopped down on the bench to her vanity, tending to her morning ablutions and dressing with a listless energy, going through the motion because if she didn’t, she burrowed back into her bed and never leave it.

Rose was healthy again.

The courtesan celebrated by streaking up and down the deck of Keshla, completely nude, obviously drunk, and very horny. Poe had cured her of that only if to save everyone else from the consequences of Rose’s unattended libido.

Rey was happy for Rose, she really was. The woman had been miserable, wallowing around the barge with stockings wrapped around her hands so she didn’t scratch and make it worse. She’d whined mostly, because the medicine numbed her legs, and made her useless–her words–and she was not a useless woman, no sir. She worked for her keep! Finn would lock her in her room at the height of her declarations with a full cask of wine, and only then would she settle down.

So, yes, Rey was happy for Rose. But Rose’s clean bill of health was also the end of the farce.

Kylo Ren was Rose’s again.

And Rey?

Stupid.

A dummy.

A _lovesick_ fool.

But she was Rey. She was _Rey_, and she was radiant, and inimitable, and she’d survive worse. And she would survive this small matter of falling for what she couldn’t have.

Did it matter that she’d never, not once, gotten what she wanted?

No.

Still, she wasn’t a damn idiot. Kylo Ren would be back, just as he would every full moon and you know what?

Rey was going to get the hell out of dodge.

The moment Poe mentioned a negotiating job in Theed, Rey accepted the responsibilities with meeting with a potential client for Pammich without hesitation. It was a two-week ride by horse, a two day stay, and a two-week ride back. More than enough time to miss out on the…festivities. 

When she arrived at the harbor, Finn was packing a horse, smiling up to her as he secured a saddle bag.

She came to a stop. “No way! You’re letting me take Storm?”

“The roads are dangerous, but Stormtrooper rides faster and harder than any horse in Alon. No one would be able to catch you, let alone hurt you.”

She laughed as she ran her fingers through the silver mare’s silky mane. “So, all I need to do is refuse an escort and I get her, huh? Noted.”

“Oh, no you don’t!” Finn wagged the reins are her like she a disobedient school child, which only made her laugh harder. “The only reason you’re even allowed out of my eyesight without an escort is because Theed is along the highroad. Had it been _any_ other place…”

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” She ruffled his hair. She liked Finn–he was like the little brother she never had. He was sweet and overprotective and had the smartest little mouth this side of Chandrila.

Together, they finished her preparations and were greeted at the harbor by an anxious Rose. “You promise you’re going to be safe? No, forget that. You promise to return?”

“Yes, Rose, I promise.” She kissed the younger woman on the cheek and waved up to the girls hanging over the rails of Keshla, all with their fervent shouts of “Come back safe, Rey! We’ll miss you!”

Finn gave her a lift and she got comfortable on the saddle of the horse. She reined her mare away from the harbor, over the hill, and towards the highroad.

Rey had no particular affinity for the woods. She was a traveler, had traveled miles and miles and miles across this world, but the woods–yeah, no. And although the petrichor rich smell after a rain made the forest come alive in many ways, it provided one of the dullest rides ever. It was like staring at a picture. Nothing ever moved, every tree looked the same, and she had trouble staying awake on her horse, so every time she’d come across a town, she was elated. She would stay long enough to get a cup of wine, listen to a song or two, and get a good night’s rest in their inn. One time, she’d even danced on a table–she’d never do that in Alon.

The town of Kashyyyk had been the loveliest. When she approached, riding high on Stormtrooper, Wookie children ran out of their homes and walked alongside her mare, growling stories and tales in Shyriiwook that either had her chuckling or cooing sympathetically.

The town of D’Qar had been a depressing sort; a man had died after an ambush from First Order mercenaries and she’d never forget the anguished cries of his wife as they lowered him into the ground. She’d never met one, but Rey would kill the next one that crossed paths with her, for this and this alone. She stayed to pay her respects, leaving the six children he left behind with enough credits to get through the winter.

By the end of the fifth day, she hadn’t come across a town with an inn, a home with an extra room, or even a stable where she could barter a night’s stay. Not having much of a choice, she led Stormtrooper deep into the woods, taking care to cover her tracks. Being a woman on the highroad late at night wasn’t as dangerous as it would have been on the darkroad, but danger was danger and whether she be a creature of it or not, she wasn’t going to invite it in unnecessarily.

She tied Stormtrooper to a tree and left her with enough oats to munch on while she unpacked the soft bedroll where it was tied to her rump. Rey found a patch of soft grass in between a few trees and decided this place was as good as any. Running her hand across her right thigh, she felt for the dagger Poe had given, only satisfied when she felt the rough leather of the pommel.

Twilight unfolded above her, and Rey snuggled between the layers of her bedroll, drifting to sleep and dreaming about stars.

Kylo Ren was lost.

D’Qar had been the worst detour he could have ever thought to make. Why did Naha Fey do this to him? He’d be lost at sea without her, so if he had no clue of direction out there, what made that guts for brains woman think he’d be any good with a map on land?

He squinted at the chart, trying to make north or west of it, but nothing on her map matched _anything_ he was looking at. Disgusted, he stuffed it into Silencer’s saddle bag. In doing so, his hands ran across the thick spine of a leather-bound book, packaged tight under a hemp cloth. Blaming Naha was unfair. _This_ was why he was lost. Turned around and hopeless all because of a stupid book.

Well, he shouldn’t call it stupid–it was not the book’s fault he didn’t know horse shit about Naha Fey’s inane shortcut through the mountain pass. The only thing that actually kept him screaming was the book.

The Divine Comedy.

She had told him in one of their many letter exchanges that she used to own a copy of the epic poem but had to barter it away to get from up under a nasty debt in Jakku. Azer had told him of a small library in the Mos Eisely, a sand city as well, that owned two copies. It hadn’t taken much for him to convince them to sell him their spare–he was a darksider, he couldn’t call himself a good one–the best one–if he couldn’t relieve rare trinkets and goods from the hands of those who had no need of them.

Or maybe they did. That was a judgment call.

Silencer trotted along the highroad, and Kylo Ren gaze fondly at the trees, and the ground, and the soil. Sometimes, and only sometimes, he missed land. Something hard and solid under your feet, the ability to run and ride things you couldn’t on the open sea. He was lost–good and fucking lost–but he didn’t mind as much as he should.

The highroad led to more woods, the trees creating a thicket of branches and leaves over his head. But even through the sparse openings above him, he could see that twilight was quickly approaching. _Night wasn’t far behind._ He had two choices–turn back around and ride hard for D’Qar or continue to Kashyyyk in hopes of a nice inn to sleep in and maybe a visit to Chewie. Maybe.

Only one problem: Kylo Ren hated inns. He’d seen enough of them every time his father would leave him behind in one to do what smugglers did. To his parents’ dismay–especially his mother who was largely unaware of what her husband did during their father-son escapades–Ben Solo’s encounter with a First Order pirate was what led him to become a darksider. He learned from the officer, yeah, sure, but it was in his learning that he realized they were just thieves on boats, and not the sort of pirates that legends spoke of.

Speaking of legends, Kylo Ren was the stuff lore was made of. Most people didn’t recognize him, couldn’t–he changed his looks often to help this along.

Hell, for most of the past year he had been a redhead, thanks to Azer and his working knowledge of tree bark and berry mixtures. S

So, as much of a mystery as he was, it often led to overhearing embellishments of his bravery or the smearing of his reputation. Inn gossip was small folk gossip and it was never, ever right. He owned a dragon, he was the scum of Chandrila, he had killed his father and betrayed his uncle, he burned the first House of Light to the ground. 

Lies, all of it.

So, D’Qar is was.

Twilight shifted into night much quicker than he’d anticipated, and the stars winked at him through a clearing in the branches, and oh did he sigh. Ben Solo had loved the stars, and this was the sort of obsession Ben Solo would and had shown in the past. Disgusting. It was repulsive, in a way, how infatuated he was. Rose loved the stars, and he had to admit, he’d never stopped. He felt full of…something. It wasn’t until Silencer trotted over a fallen branch, causing him to shift on his saddle, that he realized that he was full of piss.

Kylo Ren pulled on Silencer’s reins, now desperate to relieve himself. He nudged his destrier along, heading deeper into a clearance of trees.

When he stopped, Ren noticed a mare, silver mane and coat, tried to a tree, pawing at the ground. When Silencer pulled up near her, the mare knickered in alarm and pulled at the reins tying her to the tree. Kylo slid off his horse, and with his hands raised in a calming nature, approached.

“That’s right, girl. I’m not going to hurt you.” She pulled away from him again, fumbling and thrashing, until Ren managed to get a hand wrapped around her rein. He tugged once, gently, pulling the mare’s nose towards his hand and letting her smell it. She inhaled and calmed. He wished he had that effect on all women.

“See, girl? Everything is going to be alright.” He fed her a bit of Silencer’s hay and that sold her completely, the mare nibbling at the proffered food.

“Where’s your owner?”

Ren looked around for a fire, or a camp, knowing that they couldn’t be far. He didn’t see anything, but it was odd for a horse to be tied up with no owner within earshot. Horses were worth their weight in gold.

He thought to look harder for owner, but his bladder was screaming at him.

Shrugging, he eyed a tree. _Not his problem, anyways_.

Stormtrooper would not stop moving and it was driving Rey _crazy_. She’d thrown an apple at her earlier and that had kept her quiet for an hour or so, but Storm was back at it, thrashing against her reins and pawing at the ground like a bitch in heat.

She just wanted to _sleep_. She wanted Storm to sleep, too, because they still had such a long way to go and the next city was still a day’s ride away. There was a noise, a shuffling made by a heavy body, but when she’d peeked an eye open all she saw was Stormtrooper eating hay out of a stranger’s hands.

_That’s nice of him._ Sleepily, she turned on her and tried to get back to sleep, falling into half-dreams of handsome strangers in the middle of a deserted patch of woods feeding her horse like any good person would.

Then–

Stranger.

Middle of the Woods.

Deserted.

Her.

Him.

Her bedroll was dyed green and brown and black, dark wool knitted together that sort of looked like a log if you squinted. So, she decided to be very, very still, using her bedroll to camouflage herself with the leaves and branches on the forest floor. Hopefully, he hadn’t seen her earlier.

_Oh, course he’s seen you, you fool. You’re the idiot who wanted to sleep in the woods. And all you’ve got is a stupid fancy horse and a dagger._

Her dagger!

Rey slid her hand down her thigh and quietly unsheathed the blade. And she waited. She didn’t know for what–an attack, for him to run away, an attempt to steal Stormtrooper. The footsteps drew closer, crushing leaves under heavy boots and a lumbering walk. Her heart was beating out of her chest and she held her breath, so maybe it would…stop? She was sure he could hear it pounding against her ribcage. He stopped short of her, standing near the foot of her bedroll and Rey closed her eyes and started praying to _Arasuuml_, and _Kad Ha'rangir_, and _Hod Ha'ran, _all the gods her overseer had taught her on Mandalore.

_Arasuuml–greed–I don’t want to die._

_Kad Ha'rangir_–_change_–_but I will kill_

_Hod Ha'ran–fortune–I will survive._

She clutched the dagger, and still holding her breath, peeled back a bit of her bedroll and looked.

Rey flinched when she heard clothes rustling, a grunted curse and then a sigh. What…what was that sound? She peeked back out. Then blinked long and slow. There is no way she was seeing what she was seeing.

He was _pissing_.

Fear turned to revulsion as a pale stream of liquid smacked into the earth and gathered in a golden puddle before seeping into the ground.

She pinched her face, disgusted, as the stream paused then restarted, his following sigh louder and more satisfied than the first.

Years from now, Rey will look back on this moment at the stupidest in her young life. But there was no way in the seven hells she was just going to sit here and–

“_Excuse_ me, sir.”

The man shrieked, high and loud, and high…before scrambling backwards, his hand still wrapped around his cock.

“What in the–holy–fucking hells, you scared me!” His back hit a tree, his body falling into the shadows. His free hand was on his hip near his sword, an automatic muscle response to danger and Rey decided not to make any other smart-ass decisions that involved scaring a man half dead in the middle of the night. Slowly, with one hand where he could see, she sheathed her dagger.

“I didn’t mean to frighten you, but your _pissing_ woke me,” she snapped. “Seeing as it was near my head.” Her eyes dipped to the puddle, and _kriffin_ stars, it might be moving towards her bedroll. She nudged it behind her, shuddering. “Not that you shouldn’t continue to…do your business. I’ve heard it’s painful to…hold it in–so uh, yeah, keep doing what you’re doing.” She glanced down at his privates for a moment, eyes wide because it was–Rey. Stop it. “If you’ll give me just a second to move out of your way–”

“Do you know how dangerous it is for a woman to be by herself in the middle of the night! I could have been anybody! Gods! Where is your escort?”

Granted, although his reaction was the opposite of what she’d expected, and granted he did make a lot of sense, Rey didn’t like his tone.

Not. One. Bit.

“Dangerous says the man with his cock out.” Rey snorted as she rose to standing, completely ignoring him now, so she could pick her bedroll up and find another section of the woods where he wasn’t.

In her periphery, she saw his shuffle to tuck himself back into his pants and she snickered evilly. “No need to rush. Your cock is safe with me.”

He grunted as he continued to fix his clothing. “That’s a dangerous thing to say when you’re all alone in the middle of the godforsaken woods in the middle of the godforsaken night with a man.”

On the other side of the horses was a nice soft place, hidden by a huge red berried bush. Rey placed her bedroll down on the other side of it. She just wanted to sleep. She glanced at the idiot one last time. He didn’t seem like he was going to kill her. I mean he could try but–

“I _am_ a creature of danger. I’ll be fine.”

He gasped and Rey had the impression he heard her, read her mind or something, which was impossible–mostly, she heard of the House of Light and the things they could do but this man looked _nothing_ like a monk.

“What did you just say?” he asked, standing just on the other side of her bush, his face shadowed by the scant light coming from above the forest canopy.

“I said I am a creature of–”

He turned as if he wanted to hear her better, needed to. The moonlight above washed over his face.

Rey narrowed her eyes.

She blinked.

Opened her mouth. Then closed it.

Blinked again and in a split second of frightening clarity, realized that life couldn’t be this unfair.

“Kylo Ren?” 


	3. The Crazed Kowakian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “What do you think you’re doing?’ Yes. Voice of authority. Stentorian and not tremulous, because her rush to get away worried him. “It’s the dead of night.”
> 
> “Oh, you know!” she said cheerfully, not pausing once in her methodical clearing of her makeshift camp. “Things to do, horses to ride, identities to conceal.”
> 
> What? “You—”
> 
> “I’ve got a few days ride before me, you know, and I figured, hey! Might as well grab the bull by the horns…or the horse. Cow. Something.” She gave him a smile, uneasy and tinted with apparent embarrassment. Maybe. He wasn’t quite sure, as perplexing as she was, but just because she was jumpy didn’t mean he was going to let a woman gallop off in the middle of the night without protection.

_ _

_“I am a creature of danger.”_

Her words volleyed through his head like an echo, like a bullet shot from a gun, the projectile bouncing off his memory—two soft petals in the shape of lips, a honeyed voice speaking to him in a low conspiratorial voice on the deck of a pleasure barge, tiny hands, svelte curves. The way she clutched to him, the enigmatical aura of her whole being.

Are we not but creatures of danger, Captain?”

The woman—tall, lithe, a few missed meals from scrawny, but still beautiful in the low light, if not a little bit…unkempt from traveling—twitched and twittered in front of him, futile attempts to slink back into the shadows of the night, away from the moonlight and away from him it seemed. “I s–said—”

Kylo Ren eyes narrowed but he remained where he was, hovering over her with all the authority he could manage to impose over a stranger. She looked back up at him, unblinking. “How do you know my name?”

Her eyes—green, bright—jutted back and forth and if Kylo Ren was reading her stiff posture and nervous fidgeting correctly, he’d say she was coming up with some banthashit to tell him. “I’ve heard of you before!” she squeaked, her voice strident and high. “You’re—uh—Naha Fey’s Captain, right? I…uh.” She bit her lip. Cute. Annoying, and he’d wish she’d just spit it out already. “I’ve met her before!”

Kylo Ren’s eyes narrowed a fraction more. “Really…”

“What? You don’t believe me?” She scoffed and looked him up and down as if to say, ‘How dare you’. “I met her in an Alonian library once. She’s got grey hair, long, right? Brilliant smile but keeps to herself. Oh, and did I mention she’s purple?”

Kylo Ren tilted his head to the side before taking a step towards her. Just one. He was afraid if he spooked her, she might actually stab him this time. “She is purple,” he murmured, rubbing at his chin. He was quite confident he’d met all of Naha Fey’s acquaintances, however plentiful they were, but he’d never met this woman before. But he couldn’t deny she’d described his First Mate correctly.

However, with all the different stories and descriptions and tall tales of him floating about in Chandrila, how in the seven lights of the force did she recognize him? In the dark?

His internal musing was cut short at the sound of branches snapping and twigs breaking. The woman was moving around her makeshift camp like a priprak set on fire. She yanked her bedroll from the ground, wrapping twine around it secure it, while her foot nudge her saddlebag closer. She snatched her canteen, connected it to her belt with a leather snap and—wait. Was she…was she leaving?

“What do you think you’re doing?’ Yes. Voice of authority. Stentorian and not tremulous, because her rush to get away worried him. “It’s the dead of night.”

“Oh, you know!” she said cheerfully, not pausing once in her methodical clearing of her makeshift camp. “Things to do, horses to ride, identities to conceal.”

What? “You—”

“I’ve got a few days ride before me, you know, and I figured, hey! Might as well grab the bull by the horns…or the horse. Cow. Something.” She gave him a smile, uneasy and tinted with apparent embarrassment. Maybe. He wasn’t quite sure, as perplexing as she was, but just because she was jumpy didn’t mean he was going to let a woman gallop off in the middle of the night without protection.

“You can do that in the morning,” he grumbled, looking up the path where she’d planned to take back to the road, then up to the night sky. “There are only a few hours until dawn. Sit down. There is no way I’m letting a woman—”

She bristled, her back straightening like he’d yanked on her tail. “Excuse you? You’re not letting me do what?” She rounded on him, most of her still residing in the shadows—How was she doing that?—but he didn’t need light to see that she was irritated.

Ren recoiled as if she’d punched him, his mouth pulling down. This attitude was uncalled for! He was just trying to be of some use! Some help! She should be happy he wasn’t the sort to throw her across the back of his horse and steal her away!

Still he tried to be patient with her. Maybe she didn’t understand the danger. “You’re a woman—and—it's dark—you shouldn’t—what I’m trying to say is—”

“Look, Captain,” she spat, like the word tasted terrible in her mouth and she needed to get it out. “I was fine before you decided to use my personal space as a latrine, and I’ll be fine after you and that pretty hellion horse get back on the road!”

Oh, that was just perfect. Kylo Ren glowered at her, fists clenched at his side. “Look here, wench, if you’re gonna—” He paused and rushed to bring his hand over his mouth to hide his grin because she was irritated before, but now she was pissed. It’s like he could see the fumes radiating off of her. Her hands landed on her hips with a smack while she began to hiss and spit like a rattler.

And, oh, it was funny.

Ren liked ‘em that way, liked everyone that way, spitfires for spirits, those who would probably punch you before they kissed you. Not that he wanted to kiss her. She’d bite his tongue off if he tried, anyways.

She was pacing now, and still spitting fire at him, little legs kicking up dirt and leave, and he decided right then and there that he would have a little fun with her. By his calculations, he still had a few weeks before he needed to be back on The Finalizer to make sail for his rendezvous with Rose. There was absolutely no reason he couldn’t stand guard over this wandering forest-rat. Especially seeing as he got on her nerves.

He smiled, real, and a bit feral, and didn’t bother to hide it this time.

“My name is Rey, not wench,” she seethed, as she finally got to the climax of her rant. “Remember that or I’ll shove my staff so far up your ass people will begin to mistake you for a flag!”

The mouth on this one! He tsked. “That’s not very nice.”

“I’m not very nice,” she barked. “This is how this rest of this night is going to go. You’re gonna stay here, and I’m going to leave.”

She continued to gather her items, or regather her items he should say, since she dropped a few of them in the height of her little hissy fit. Still grinning, Kylo stalked towards her while secured the ties of her runny sack.

“We have a little problem then,” he pushed out, lips close to her ear, “because until dawn, I’m not going to leave your side. So, you go, I go. You stay. I stay.”

She—Rey—shivered. Maybe he should get her a coat. “Bugger off, pirate.”

Or maybe he should wish for a magic potion that kept her from insulting him—for no good reason!

“I just said I can’t do that.” He took one more step closer and he could feel her heat seep through his clothing, warming his torso. “You go, I go. You stay, I—”

She drew her forward and and—oof! Right in the fucking ribs. Ones he was sure were still sore from his wrestling match with Azer last week. Ren staggered back a few steps, cursing under his breath while Rey grabbed her things and jogged over to her horse, not even bothering to tie her things down.

He watched her, back against a tree, one arm folded over his side, exuding a faux patience that could only be learned when your uncle was the top House of Light monk. She was doing fine, hustling like a busy worker bee, until she tugged on her mare’s reigns. The mare jerked her head away, looking at Rey as if she were mad, and neighing in delight when the straps slipped through her fingers.

“Stormtrooper,” she warned.

“Stormtrooper,” he drawled. “Odd name for a horse.”

“Mind your business.” She reached for them again, stubborn, obstinate, but the horse simply was not having it.

“In light of things, it makes perfect sense for a stubborn woman to have a stubborn mare.”

Rey tried again and she realized it the same moment he did. By the stars. Stormtrooper was shying towards Silencer, tucking her head under his and nickering softly. Silencer glared at Rey as if she were in the wrong and blew a sharp rush of breath out of his nose in warning.

Kylo laughed—unabashedly. “Looks like a mutiny is afoot! Your horse is obviously smarter than you.” He approached dawdling—because he had all the time in the world now—and scratched under Stormtrooper’s chin. The horse nickered again, happily this time. “Such a good, good girl, you are!”

Rey glared at the mare, her lips twisted and pursed, holding back maybe a thousand curses that the stupid beast deserved. She was going to yank Finn’s ear off just for the trouble!

“Traitor,” she hissed as she gave Storm her back, snatching her bedroll to her chest. “Hope he eats all of your food, you churlish ingrate!”

Storm scoffed at her. She could be imagining that, but it sounded like a scoff. “I fed you apples! The good kind!”

Rey only had one major fault—not counting the handful of minor ones. And that was that she didn’t know how to lose gracefully.

It was actually impossible for him to recognize her face. He could have screwed her senseless one night and walked by her, oblivious, the next. So, this was okay. There was no danger in her being herself, just Rey, until dawn.

And this Rey was a petty, vindictive, jerk. Proudly.

Kylo Ren was enraptured with Rose? Wonderful. She’d make sure it stayed that way.

Spinning towards him, Rey arranged her face into a semblance of amity, lips pushed into a smile, a little teeth showing. The pirate did the same as he gracefully escorted her back to the clearing. No, the other clearing because he’d marked the first one up like a dog claiming territory.

It was warm and the ground was soft with layers of foliage covering the forest floor, so color Rey surprised when he backed up against the base of a tree and crossed his legs at the ankle instead of laying down. Not that figured him for smart. Handsome, charming—ha!—brave. But smart? Right. Rumors of him being a scholar? Sure.

His sword cleared the sheath with the loudness of metal against metal in a stark quiet forest and if bandits or robbers were looking for an easy steal, he just gave it to them. After he was done alerting all their neighbors, he placed his sword against across his thighs, patting it as if it were an old friend, and his whole posture screaming ‘try me’. It was a bright red sword, jagged, serrated edges, and a fire red pommel that seemed to spit sparks out to the sides. “Her name is Lightsvaniqisher.”

Rey scoffed. Who named their weapon opposite a mythical sword nobody had seen in years?

“Aren’t you clever?” She turned before he could say anything and hauled her bedroll on its side, not unrolling it, but sitting on it like it was a log. Two could play this game. A blade for a blade. She pulled her dagger out, staring at it too, like a long lost friend, while she played with the sharp edge, dragging it back and forth her palm with a wicked smile.

“Nice dinner knife you got there.”

Rey reversed the grip, edge out, and raised a brow. “Didn’t know dinner knives could slice you from navel to chin. Want to try it out?”

Kylo Ren snorted. “You wouldn’t make it five steps before your head would roll, wench.”

“Call me wench again and I’ll make it in three.”

Well, so much for being civil.

Kylo Ren got comfortable with the full expectation that Rey would go to sleep, and he would watch over her. And as he was quickly learning with her, expectations meant jack shit. He sat over on his side, she sat on hers, and while he entertained himself with staring at her, likewise, she entertained herself by glaring at him. When that became boring, he passed time by throwing pinecones at her when she wasn’t looking or making really loud noises when her head would nod on her way to sleep. If she wasn’t being so stubborn, she could lay down on her damn bedroll and catch a few hours of sleep before they went their separate ways.

If they went their separate ways.

This time, he aimed for her forehead. Lovely forehead, really. Medium. It looked larger because she wore her hair in those…balls. Well enough. Easy target.

He tossed and—she actually growled after it bounced off her head and onto the ground. The feral sound shocked him more than it should have, and he recoiled as if burnt. “You sound like a batha.”

In response, Rey grabbed her bedroll and marched over to the tree and threw it down next to him. “You can scream in my ear all you want but you’ll have less fun throwing shit at me from this distance.”

“Aww, Rey-Rey! I was just—”

“The only problem for you,” she said before he could really get under her skin with his new nickname, “is that if you scream in my ear, I’m going to bite yours off. At least I wouldn’t go hungry.”

Good one. “You are violent,” he declared as fingers flew to his ear. “Never guessed with that sweet face of yours, pinched up and snarling all the time.”

“I’m not violent. I’m sleepy,” she mumbled as she wiggled back and forth in an effort to get situated. The tree wasn’t the most comfortable thing, that was for sure. But between the two of them, she had the bedroll and was actively choosing not to use it. Not that he minded. She was warm against his arm.

“Well, go to sleep. That seems to be the solution to both of our problems.”

“Or you could just go and that’d be the solution to my problem.”

He patted her on the head—and yes! His reflexes were getting better when concerned with her. He was able to snatch his hand back before she took a bite out of it. “I like you Rey,” he said, contemplating musing her hair again. He’d loosen one of her…hair balls, and it was quite becoming, that fresh “I might have just fought a bear” look on her.

“Mere hours and you like me. You don’t know me, but you like me.” She snorted. “Do you make it a habit of liking people you don’t know?”

“No.” He shook his head, looking down at him. “Not particularly. I’ve been known to be hard to get close to. It’s because I’m a good judge of character.”

She hmphed and turned a shoulder from him, “I figure you for a liar.”

So, she was violent and rude. He opened his mouth to tell her just that, but she cut him off with a wave of her hand.

“If you’re going guard, do it diligently. I’d hate to wake up dead.”

This time it was Kylo who snorted. “Yes, ma’am.”

“REY! BANDITS! OH, TO THE STARS ABOVE! BANDITS HAVE FOUND US! GET UP! WE HAVE TO FIGHT!”

Rey shot up like a rooster ready to crow, screaming, her dagger flying left and right as she wildly tried to defend herself.

Arasuuml! I don’t want to die. Kad Ha'rangir! But I will kill! Hod Ha'ran! I will survive.

Her screaming died a slow death as Rey realized the clearing was empty and that Kylo Ren’s laughter was the only thing she was in danger of.

“Oh!” He held his stomach as he rolled around on the ground like a pot belly pig, guffawing. Rey blinked slowly, her body waking up with the rush of thinking she was going to die. “Oh, god. Your face. Bloody stars, Rey, you’re pale as a moofmilker’s daughter!”

Murder was a capital crime—in Alon. She didn’t know the laws here, but she was sure that if she took her dagger and threw it at him, and maimed him, thus stopping his insufferable laughter, how long she would be locked up for.

No, Adorae. Patience. Calm. It doesn’t matter that he was an obnoxious child outside of the bedroom. You will would not stab him.

She grabbed a handful of pinecones and flung them at his head, but her aim was off and they plopped off his chest and onto the ground.

Rey stood, ignoring how his six-foot–something frame shook with mirth. He grabbed at her ankles as she walked by him and if she wasn’t a better person than him, she would have kicked him in that beak of a nose.

“I’m glad I have been so entertaining to the great Kylo Ren,” she sassed. “I’m sure you’ll have your bards and your crewmen sing songs about me. Ones I hope I never have to hear. Thank you for whatever you thought you were doing last night, and if you’ll excuse me.” Rolling her eyes as he sat up, his head tilted in curiosity, she tugged on Stormtrooper’s reins and guided her back up the unmarked trail to the highroad. The mare whined at the loss of her greatest love and Rey snarled in return.

Join the fucking club, Storm. Get over it.

The air had a cool, dryness to it once she reached the highroad again. The seasons in Chandrila were mild most days but could be irascible and unpredictable on others. Autumn was only a month or two away.

Oh! Maybe she could participate in the Turnip Carving Festival this year! Do a good job and maybe find a man who was available to her. That was the trick. Snap, the barkeep across from The House of Mai, and Lor San Tekka apprentice, looked warm and cuddly—and yes, that would be a major component of her plan. Right. That’s how she would get over the idiot she left behind in the forest.

Hibernate, and drink, and have lots of sex with Snap. Snap who called her name like it was a song.

Grinning at her craftiness, she reached into her saddle bag and withdrew a piece of cold salt dried beef and gnawed. Seconds later, she tore off another bite, annoyed, incensed, as her thoughts snapped right back to Kylo Ren, wrestling with all the odd complexities of him.

He was a child, a colossal, tree trunk, over muscled child. Like honestly, who needed that much muscle? Compensating for something, surely.

Why was he so broad, and well defined, and god those shoulders and those arms! And fuck her! The size of his hands? The feel of him from all those nights ago when he pressed against her and she felt his thick, hard—

Stupid pirate. A dork who plays pranks and shouted demands as though he ruled the galaxy!

And that voice? Did it need to be so modulated, and smoky, and stars, when he laughed? Her knees went weak and her stomach did funny things.

Big lumbering idiot.

You’re still attracted to him, aren’t you, Rey?

No. No! No, she absolutely wasn’t. He was just remarkable and people like that were hard to forget.

But she sure as hell was going to try.

She tugged her map out and studied the dancing red ink over tan parchment. It was a three-day ride from where she was to Takodana, a mid-sized forest village near the coast. The town had a funny reputation for being full of ‘night’ people—singers who sang raunchy tunes, and dancers who danced raunchy dances, and more prostitutes than Alon ever had the hopes of seeing. Exciting stuff, really, although the trip there would be absolutely tedious. But, honestly, she’d had enough excitement from a certain pirate to suffer a little boredom.

Rey tipped her head back to wash some of the salt beef down with water when a loud baritone voice echoed under the canopy of the trees. She choked.

Oh the day was fine, the wind was free!

Ah he, ah ho, are you most done?

And Eliza Lee sat there on my knee,

So, the clear the track, let the bulgine run!

She jolted out of her hunched position on Stormtrooper’s back ramrod straight, not wanting to look behind her because he couldn’t possibly be—

“To my aye rig a jig in the low back car!

Ah he, ha ho, are you most done?

With Eliza Lee all on my knee,

So, clear the track, let the bulgine r—”

“Oh, for the love of the stars, would you please shut up!”

That sounded like laughter and Rey whipped her head around to make sure she wasn’t hearing things. And she wasn’t. Behind her, sitting tall and proud his destrier like he owned all of the highroad, was Kylo Ren, grinning at her like he was welcomed.

He waved to her and Rey replicated a move she once saw Jessika do behind a young lord’s back. She stuck her middle finger up.

He cackled.

“It was too quiet, Rey!” he bellowed from behind her. “I wanted to make our trip a little livelier!”

“Our trip? I don’t recall this ever being our trip!”

She turned from him, tightened her grip around Stormtrooper’s reins in lieu of nothing else. “Don’t you have something better to do than this? Don’t you have somewhere to go? A treasure chest to fuck or a parrot to train?”

“Of course, I do! But it would be remiss of me to allow such a lovely maiden as yourself to travel these roads without an escort.”

She snorted at the word ‘maiden’. “I didn’t ask you to do this.”

“And I don’t remember needing your permission.”

She bit off another chunk of her lunch before stashing in back in her saddlebag. She’d ignore him. Kriffing fuck! What kind of cruel trick was this anyways? This was supposed to be a healing trip! To detoxify herself of all thoughts of a strong, tall, and handsome pirate who’d knocked her off her feet just in one night.

And he was behind her—totally clueless to who she really was—cawing like a bulabird gone mad.

She steeled her shoulders and looked forward. Yes, she’d ignore him.

But Kylo Ren, known for taking and doing exactly as he wanted, was not going to make that task easy. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to encourage such absurd behavior but if she could go back a night and do it all over again, she would have stayed under the cover of her bedroll and let him piss himself silly.

Now she had to deal with this shit.

Hours passed—her steadily ignoring him, and him doing whatever he could to her to not ignore him—and every time she looked over her shoulder, he was grinning at her. Damn that grin. Damn that man.

“Are you going to follow me all the way to Theed? Honestly? It’s a three day ride from here. Three whole days and three whole nights, and I’m sure you don’t have the time to—”

He stayed a few feet back, which was considerate considering how inconsiderate he was being but—“"Let’s get one thing straight. I take orders from just one person: me,” he screamed.

Most uncivil, uncouth, stuck up, half-witted, scruffy-looking nerf herder!

“I’m sorry—No. I’m not sorry. It’s obvious that you’re not going to stop hollering and the sound of your voice at that level is unbearable. So, here is your new ultimatum—either leave me alone or come up here.” He didn’t answer but in their newfound silence, Rey heard the quiet command to his horse and the subsequent clop of his hooves as he trotted closer.

When he strode abreast of her, he handed her a small half loaf of bread. “Eat,” Ren softly commanded. “I could hear your stomach growling six paces back.”

“You wouldn’t hear my stomach at all if you went on your way.” Still, she plucked the piece of bread out of his hands and tore a bite off, chewing like it had personally offended her.

There was a beat of silence, heavy, and Rey knew it was the sort of silence that preceded a statement. She waited, patiently, chewing on her offering. She wasn’t going to help him, either.

Eventually. “I know that last night I was—”

“An asshole?”

“I—the word I was going to use was annoying.”

Rey shrugged. “Got the first letter right.”

“But,” he said, half glaring at her, “was I annoying enough for you to be this…tetchy with me?”

A deep line appeared between Rey’s brows. “You…you threw pinecones. At my head. For six hours.”

“Okay.”

“Then you called me ‘wench’ twelve times after I told you not to,” she growled.

“Right.”

“And then you tried to scare me to death this morning!” Oh, Rey was really worked up now. She had a list, a long list, of things he’d done in the last twenty-four hours that had pissed her off. Not including his stupid, lingering, scent that felt like it was trapped inside of her nose. And he wanted to know what he’d done? She’d tell—

“I’m sorry.”

And just like that, her anger deflated. Like he’d popped her rage with a pin, let it all out, so that it would be more compact, could fit inside of his hand. What an uncanny talent.

“Look, just—let’s get to Theed and that way whatever ethical undertaking this is fulfilling for you can be satisfied.” She paused, looking at him sidelong. He wasn’t smiling anymore, just staring at her like he was digesting her every word. “And…I guess you can make the travel less boring for me.”

“That’s the spirit, Rey!” He clapped her on the shoulder like she was one of his crewmen.

“Are you normally like this?”

“Like what?”

“What’s the nicest way to say this?” She laid the word out like it was a sabbac flush. “Immature?

“Of course, I’m not immature all the time. But you, I like—and don’t take this the wrong way—playing with you.”

Rey definitely took it the wrong way but swallowed it.

“I don’t get a lot of chances to laugh, Rey,” he murmured. “I have to take them—steal them when get the chance or I’ll go mad.”

“There are better ways to laugh you know.”

“But no one has made me laugh as hard as you. So, thank you for humoring me just a little.

Rey flushed at his compliment, even if his fun had been at her expense. “I’ll say this. That was not how I suspect a pirate of your…reputation would act.”

Ren leaned forward to rest his arms against the horn of his saddle, looking more at ease than he did the night on Keshla. “My reputation?”

“Yeah. That you’re a broody angry man child.”

“They also say I’m the bravest man in Chandrilia. Neither of those are true. You should draw your own judgement.” The smile he offered her was gentle, less brilliant that when he was doubled over with laughter, but still causing heart clenching want all the same. “You’ll find I’m just a man, Rey. I get angry, I get sad, I try to laugh, and sometimes, I cry.”

“You?”

“Me.”

Rey hummed and let peace settle between them, down in their bones and under their skin, letting it get comfortable, breath and grow—this newfound, fragile thing—before asking, “What’s your horse’s name?”

“Silencer,” and he gestured to the air nonsensically. “You know…like…silence.”

She finally gave him a small grin. “Oh, I wouldn’t have guessed, you know with there being so many definitions for it.”

He chuckled at her dry tone. “Aye,” was all that he said and then there was silence. Comfortable silence.

In the three long days that led from the forests to the town of Takodana, Kylo Ren had learned a lot about this mystifying woman he rode with.

As she galloped alongside of him, taking a sip of water every now and then, her body swaying with the horse’s trot, he decided that he did like her. She didn’t compare to Rose—not that she wasn’t attractive. She was beautiful, glorious in a hard, yet soft way that made him not only enjoy the time he spent with her, but delirious for more.

In another world, she could be his.

In this world, he was needed by another.

He caught her appraising yet puzzled gaze wandering towards him every so often and he wondered what she thought of him. Did she really believe the rumors, or was she taking his advice and forming her own? Had she heard the stories about him and his family, and his name and was politely avoiding it, or did she believe in the singularity of his persona?

Sometimes, though, she looked so lost in her thoughts, her turbulent green so sad, that he had a desire to hold her until she smiled again because her smile was one of the most beautiful things he’d ever seen. Her entire face lit up, like a sun—like a supernova on the edge of collapse. Then it would, and the melancholy would return. Kylo Ren was a great man, he’d done great things, but it was a problem he could not solve.

Her accent was common, a Coruscanti one, but when he asked what sector, she’d informed him that he wasn’t from there, and that she’d developed the accent from her uncle. Rey didn’t have most of the fancies that other women he’d been with had. She didn’t like embroidery, but she knew how to stitch. She knew her letters, and her notes, and would sing if forced, but it would be under the pain of death. She didn’t have a favorite color but she was particular to the color blue because it wasn’t the color of sand. She was terrible with a sword which is why she carried her staff. The one she’d threatened to shove up his ass.

“You know, in hindsight, I probably weigh too much for you staff. If would probably snap.”

“I salvaged high grade durasteel to piece this together. Trust me, the last thing it would have done to your ass was snap under pressure.”

He dropped that subject quickly.

He learned other things—no brothers or sisters, no contact from her family whatsoever. She told him the story of how she ended up in Alon after being kidnapped and stolen away to Jakku to work as a slave under a junker boss. “I was there for two years, I think, scrapping for metal and wood and old pieces of abandoned ships I could sell to him for food portions. That was until I won my freedom in a bizarre match of The Philosopher’s Game.”

“The Philosopher’s Game?” He could feel the silly, inquisitive grin forming on his face again. It appeared when she brought up something he’d never heard of. And it happened often. “What’s that?”

“Ah, see. It’s ….” She tapped the end of her nose in thought. “It’s like—uh—well, it’s a numbers game. You have a board and you have pieces— they each get a number scribbled on the top. And you move and try to take your opponent’s man, but there are so many rules. It’s sort of like Alquerques, except a lot more comp—”

Kylo Ren leaned into her space and narrowed his eyes at her. “You know how to play Alquerques?”

This woman definitely didn’t look highborn and he was raised to believe that only highborn ladies were taught such an intricate and complicated game. He glanced her way again—maybe? No. She couldn’t be highborn. Not with the dirt smudged on her face and the tangles in that…weird bun ball hairstyle—although that could be attributed to the many nights she spent in the woods. But then again, no highborn lady would spend a night in the woods.

Still, he continued to study her, wary, watching as her back straightened and her eyes went wide in alarm, like she’d just divulged a secret.

“Well,” and she laughed fretfully, “it surprised Unkar, too—my owner.” Kylo bristled because he did not like living in a world where people owned other people. Maybe he would hunt this Unkar down and deal with him. People like that did not deserve to live, anyhow. “Plutt was this—have you ever seen a Crolute?”

Ren shook his head.

Her nose scrunched up like the thought of him disgusted her. “He was this pale, slobbery, rubbery—”

And Kylo Ren surprised himself at how loudly he laughed as she continued describing him in such dramatic fashion.

“Portly, gouty, squinty eyed bastard who smelled like fish. And we were so hungry, me and the other slaves, that we didn’t even mind.”

“And you won your freedom?”

Rey nodded. “If we couldn’t salvage enough scrap metal, he would try to starve us into submission or make us gamble to recoup the loss. The noble who owed him money like to gamble as well and when he picked me out of the lineup of unfortunate,” she shrugged, “Guess I looked like I didn’t know how to play. I kicked his ass, soundly, time and time again and in the process, made Unkar so much money, he let me go. I’m sure he was drunk, but I didn’t stick around long enough to find out.”

Kylo Ren clapped slowly and gave her a low whistle in appraisal. “That’s quite a story, Rey.”

“Aye. I walked forty miles of desert before I was able to hitch a ride on a caravan heading to Alon. When I was in the desert, I dreamed of the ocean. I could have sworn it was a mirage, wavy and repressed in the foreground but when I saw it…” Her voice trailed off and her eyes got this sparkling light to it, like she was reliving it.

Something pulled on his sense—faint, subtle–but he could envision the ocean as well. Not as a pirate, not as someone who’d lived his entire life near one. But as Rey did, for the first time.

He could give her the ocean, forever. He was already teaching her how to navigate—Fu Ren, his Navigator, was getting old and it would be nice to let him retire. Then he dismissed it altogether. He wouldn’t make Rey actually work. He’d be happy to just let her sit on the deck and do what she wanted.

“You’re a tough woman,” he said instead.

“Yes! I tried to tell you that days ago but you’re as stubborn as a mule.”

“I’m glad you can recognize stubbornness so well. It takes a real practitioner of the art to see it so clearly in other people.”

For that, she stuck her tongue out at him.

“Naha Fey says the same thing. Stubborn as a mule, I am. Or a bull.” He tugged at the tie holding his cloak together, letting it pool down his back. “Speaking of Naha Fey and this…relationship you guys have.”

There was that nervous laugh again. “Oh, no relationship. Just a meeting and a conversation.”

“Yes. That’s my point. Naha Fey talks as much as your horse does to strangers and she is not one to approach a woman and start a conversation. Tell me, when exactly did you—”

“Ah! There it goes! Takodana!” Rey exclaimed like she’d never been so glad to see a town, any town, in her life. Before he could respond, she spurred Storm into action and was galloping towards the outskirts, leaving him behind in a cloud of dust.

Silencer whined as Stormtrooper got further and further away and honest to fucking light, he’d never seen his horse act this way. His darkness attracted to her light.

“Alright, you mangy, piece of shit. Let’s go catch up to your girlfriend.”

Silencer tensed as if he was going to take off, but paused, craned his neck to look back at him for a long, long unblinking moment.

“What,” Kylo Ren snapped. “Go! She—her horse—they are getting away, Sil!”

Kylo Ren was able to catch up to her just as she trotted into the main square, tugging his cloak back over his shoulder and his cowl over his head. It was warmer out from underneath the shade of the forest, and he ignored her when she glanced sidelong at him. He hated inns and he hated towns with inns in them, but he wasn’t going to say anything because yes, he was a hardened man but if he had to spend one more light forsaken night in the woods, he was going to snap.

They followed the path down, Rey waving at the children playing with a scraggly dog, wagging its tail at their antics, until they came up to a sign hanging from the awning of a building that looked more like a small castle than a tavern. It read “Crazed Kowakian.”

Ren frowned. “What the hell is a Kowakian?”

Rey turned to him with a raised brow that almost touched her hairline. “In all of your traveling, you’ve never seen a Kowakian?”

“I’ve never been to…Kowakia…?”

“Kowak.” Her lips turned downward. “They are… monkey-lizards. Gross looking things—cold blooded with fur around their necks and they squawk at you when you try to feed them.”

Oh. He knew what that was—they just called them monkeys. But Ren remembered how much fun it was to have fun with Rey, so he said, “They what at you?”

“They squawk! They—”

And, damn it, she did it. She crouched low like a monkey would and squawked. Kylo Ren tried his hardest to look at her studiously, nodding his head as if he were taking notes on some rare fauna. Eventually, he had to draw his bottom lip into his mouth to not laugh right in her face when she squawked even louder, exasperated by his ignorance. Nope. He tipped his head back and howled.

“Figures.”

His head turned to the entrance of the inn and found a short, dark skinned woman with spectacles as big as her head said. “You would find my place out of all the places in the world.”

He had no idea what she meant by that other than she was familiar with who he was and his reputation.

She peered up at him, like he was a long-lost son returning home, however prodigal, so her assessing gaze was narrowed with suspicion. But it was also warm, like she wanted to hug him. It was very hard to tell with her big, bright eyes magnified as they were.

Rey popped back up to standing so fast he was scared she was going to faint. My stars, the look on her face was enough to rip another low-pitched giggle out of him.

The Innkeeper stared at Rey through her spectacles with confusion and maybe a bit of concern. “You two need something?”

“Yes.” He hopped down from Silencer, towering over her short form. She didn’t look the least bit intimidated by it, either. “We are looking for a place to stay and some food to eat, if you have the room.”

She nodded and finally some of the wariness eased from her face, replaced more and more by that odd, sentimental look. “I have the room if you have the credits. Running a tavern here, not an orphanage.”

Rey winced. “We—we have money.”

Kylo Ren reached into his saddlebag and withdrew a soft velvet wallet, watching her face light up when he showed her handful of credit chips.

Despite seeing the money, her gruff demeanor stayed in place. “Right this way. Assuming you’ll need just one room, one bed?” She glanced at his hand, presumably for a ring. Her conjecture made him smirk.

“No!” Rey screamed. The Innkeeper blinked, long and slow, and Rey was reduced to sputtering. “I—I—I mean if you have more than a room that would—see the thing is we aren’t—we would like—”

Ren wanted to laugh at her, he really did, but if he kept it up, she would probably have him drawn and quartered in the square for all to see. “Whatever you can afford us, my lady,” he said, bowing a bit.

“I’m no lady. Just Maz.” She whistled to her stable boys. “Lock them horses up tight unless you want our guest to come looking for you at dawn.” She spun towards the entrance without ceremony. “Few rules. Don’t bring your politics or your brutish fighting nonsense in here. All are welcomed but I’ll kick the ass of anyone who starts any shit.”

Her inn was a dark space, cobblestone and hay on the ground, casks of ale stacked high near the bar, and pewter dishes, earthenware mugs, and pitchers piled on a wooden cart near the kitchen’s entrance.

She gave a quick, blunt tour of, “Kitchen, dining room and that’s it. You’re welcome to any of it, but don’t sit in that chair.”

Ren looked at the corner across from the kitchen and saw the “chair” she mentioned. More like a throne. Carved from a single piece of stone, it sat high and proud, gilded filigree shining even in the low light. Obnoxious looking when compared to it’s humbler surroundings.

“May I ask who’s?” Kylo tried.

“No, you may not.”

The tavern smelled…unpleasant compared to the upper scale hostelries near Hanna City. Kylo Ren was pretty sure there was horse shit on the ground, mixed in with the hay. There was a small smoldering fire in the hearth, lighting the tavern space, but the heat elevated the bitter, foul stench.

“Smells better upstairs,” Maz said. “I like to keep you rich folk in the clouds, away from the criminal element.”

“What if I’m both?” Ren asked, tilting his head.

Maz took one look at him and snorted.

Before Ren could reply, she was leading them up a set of steps sandwiched in between a stone stairwell, traveling a few flights before they landed at the ingress of a long hallway. Two doors were at an angle at one end, and the same for the other.

“Two rooms’ll cost you that credit chip, young man.”

Kylo Ren was trying to decide if he liked her blunt candor, or if he was dealing with some sort of pirate queen who knew how to rob you blind. “You don’t know how much is on it.”

“No, but I know how to get the rest if there isn’t enough, don’t I?”

Fair enough.

Inside of each room was a featherbed mattress tucked under a slipshod imitation of a canopy bed. Atop a small fireplace were a mass of candles, one on a golden plate, used as a candle clock. Next to the bed was a large metal tub parked on its side.

Rey sighed. “How much extra would it cost for some hot water to draw a bath?”

Maz’s gaze flicked to the tub, then to Kylo. Her grin was decidedly wicked. “Whatever lover boy has on that other credit chip.”

No. She wanted the whole chip for some hot water? Over his dead body! “That’s extortion!”

“And that’s my price.”

“You and your price can—"

Before his rant could reach fever pitch, Rey surreptitiously slid in between the two and turned those stupid, large captivating green eyes on him. Honestly, she did need the bath. They both needed it, but this was more than just a bit of squeezing! It was a bonafide shakedown.

“Rey,” he tried, “we’ve been doing fine with the river and—”

The woman poked her bottom lip out and—goddamn it! Growling, he tossed over the other credit chip. “Give the woman her hot water. And anything else she wants while you’re taking me for all my traveling money!”

“As if that’s all you have. I’m no fool.” Maz slid the chip into her pocket and patted him on his knee as if she were giving him some sort of life lesson. “Give me an hour to get one of the serving girls up here. It’s dark and dinner will be starting soon which I’m sure you two’ll want to get in on.”

Kylo Ren almost asked her if the food was an extra charge as well but someone yelled “Maz! It’s Romwell Krass, again. He’s crying all over the place.”

“The father or the son?”

“The son!”

She was gone, short legs carrying her out of the room as she grumbled something about, “Overemotional maritime pilot and their damn blubbering.”

As soon as Maz was gone, Rey squealed, diving for the featherbed mattress. It was dusty and scratchy, but it would be better than her flimsy bedroll on the hard ground. Kylo Ren watched her as she kicked off her boots and snuggled under the covers. She glanced back up at him from her cocoon, brow furrowed.

“What?”

He cleared his throat, realizing he’d been caught staring at her. “Nothing. You just look so happy by something so simple.”

“Yeah? Wait until you lay down on this. You’ll be smiling like a Kowakian, too.” She pulled the covers up and over her head.

He nodded and slowly backed out of the room, finding leaving a bit harder. He’d been with her day and night for days and sleeping apart seemed harder than it should be.

“I’m taking a nap. Wake me up when it’s time to eat, will you?”

Sure, Rey. Anything you want.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This Kylo Ren is one who obviously took after his father. Pirate, smuggler. Same thing.
> 
> Yes, I made Emmie a cyborg. 
> 
> The Force is a thing, it's just as mysterious as it would be if there were only like 5 entire practitioners in the whole wide world, and two of them were largely ignorant of what it could actually do for them.
> 
> Yes. That's Matt, Matt. Radar Technician. 
> 
> Alternate scene: 
> 
> Kylo Ren snapped his mouth shut as a single tear escaped from her lovely eyes, trailing down her cheek. It never made its destination down her shirt, because she rubbed it away with the palm of her hand. 
> 
> "Are you crying?"
> 
> "What does it look like, dork."
> 
> "There's no–THERE'S NO CRYING IN BASEBALL!"
> 
> "What...what the fuck is baseball?"


	4. Batten Down The Hatches

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again, the world slipped away and a different sort of quiet descended on Endor. The noiseless void when two people were connected through the Force, the tingle of being one with everything, and being one with each other.
> 
> In his vision, in her dreams, their desires match. She imagined him touching her, the way he wanted to. Together, in some place that was filled with both light and dark, he slowly removed her clothing, let them gather around her feet, and his, joining the pile. When she spoke, when she whispered, when she moaned, and breathed, and writhed, it was his name she called out. He clutched to her like the thought of losing her would kill him, and she bared her teeth at anyone who would try to harm him. 

Kylo Ren eventually made it to his own room, using the key Maz had slipped into his pocket after he’d paid. His room was identical to hers, and he made use of the study, collapsing onto the padded chair, leaned back and put his tired feet up.

And for a few moments he did nothing. Didn’t think, didn’t plan, just breathed in the simple act of not moving—resting. When he tired of that, he fumbled around his saddle bag for his calligraphy set, giving a small whoot of victory when his hands closed around it.

The wooden box was crafted at the command of his adopted grandmother—Breha, queen of Alderaan, a woman whom he’d never met. Constructed with the bark of a tintolive and lumber from the one chinar tree that was harvested off Alderaan before it’s destruction, over the years, it had never lost its shape or shine. On his thirteenth birthday, it, as well as his first Alderaanian braid, was given to him as a coming of age present. This was long before he rebelled against the House of Organa, before he packed up his things and left, before his parents could send him away to forsake most of his young adult life as a Light priest.

As for the calligraphy set, he was never told who gave it to him, or why they chose to house it in this box. “An aunt,” his mother would say. “An old friend,” his father would note. 

He quickly scribbled out a missive addressed to Naha Fey. He wanted The Finalizer to dock in Theed, only a few days voyage from Canto Bight, a luxurious casino town that was easy pickings for rare artifacts his officers would win off others. He rolled it up, sealed it off with a dollop of wax from his kit, and was about to take a nap himself, when a second thought struck him.

He pulled out another piece of parchment, as well as the large linen wrapped book, setting it on the study where he could see it.

Ren usually found the time to write once a week, but he’d been…preoccupied as of late. Still, he scratched out a few loving words about his excitement for their next visit, and asked Rose to wait for him. He told her of his adventures with the sandrat he found on the side of the road and for her not to be jealous because he would return to her soon.

As he set that aside, he relaxed back into his chair, and began daydreaming of flowing silk and concealed faces, smiles barely visible behind a veil, and soft words.

It was strange—he felt as he’d been hearing her voice all day, that peculiar Coruscanti accent urging him to do wicked, dangerous things, laughing at him and poking fun, maybe even a sudden bite in her tone that he wasn’t used to. He thought of her eyes. Green, fathomless, bright, and intelligent.

Rey…Rey had eyes like that as well, ones that could pick him apart from a distance, and do worse damage the closer she got.

He should introduce them. Rose was affluent and connected and Rey could probably stand to know someone like her. They seemed like they could be great friends, even! No. He dismissed that grand idea, as well. Rey would tell Rose all kinds of embarrassing stories and he’d already made a fool of himself once. No.

The grumbling of his stomach brought him back to his senses. His eyes swept in a lazy arc towards the candle clock on the mantle. He’d been sitting here, a daydreaming fool, for hours. 

Grabbing both missives, he opened his door and was just able to grab a serving girl by her sleeve as she rushed by. 

She cut her eyes to where he was touching her and Kylo Ren quickly snatched back his hands. “Sorry. I—you—”

The affronted look passed as she got a glance at his face, her eyes moving from her arm to where he stood in a sharp, punchy was Kylo sucked in a breath.

A cyborg. A protocol cyborg! He hadn’t seen one of these since he lived in Hanna City. And even then, they were rare things, only affordable to those who could purchase the expensive parts. 

“I am Emmie. How can I help you?” She turned towards him fully and he heard the soft whirring of a mechanics turning and clicking into place.

“I need to have these delivered,” he said, holding up his letters. “To a raven—”

“Takodana has forty-seven raven delivery systems. I assume you have addressed these to their final delivery locations?”

Ren nodded.

“Very good, sir. Often travelers are not so well equipped as you are.” She accepted his missives, and her cold, impassive face, warmed a bit, her lips turning up into a faint, closed lip smile. “I shall return with a delivery receipt as soon as I can.” Whatever she was in a rush to do, she abandoned, instead heading towards a set of steps with a smooth, gliding walk that could be anything but human. 

As he watched her go, Ren did a quick calculation in his head. If he could corner the droid market in Alon, he’d be a very rich man.

Rey! His little sandrat could help! She was good at locating scrap material. Wholesale buy, sell at market prices. Naha Fey would say he would have to deal with the odds and his uncle’s quackery about the evil droids could do. Which—surprise!—had poisoned so many minds near and far, but what did he always say about the odds?

_Never tell me the odds._

Then a thought hit him. No. Gods. Rey had to scrap metal as a slave. He couldn’t do that to her! Damn the whole idea. No droids, no metal, no salvaging. Ever. He wondered if he could get it outlawed?

His stomach grumbled again, loudly, as if it was annoyed by the prospect that he would be thinking of something insipid as money when there was food to be eaten. The stone stairwell hugged tight on both sides of him, obviously not made to accommodate more than a few people down at a time.

Ren was halfway down when a deep, dark, sinister voice boomed out over the tavern dining room a level below him. He turned his ear towards it, lingering in place, not unafraid to move, just smart enough not to.

His force-sensitivity is a mercurial wonder at times, often hiding itself within the deep recesses of his soul, or showing up at wildly inappropriate times, such as the day of his coronation to the House of Organa. He’d almost lit half the Grand Hall on fire.

Today, it was a companion, and he felt the aurorean fingers of it reach out for what he couldn’t see and hear, returning to him and divulging its secrets.

Darksider.

Yet, it wasn’t the gentle shadows that muted the light deep inside of Kylo Ren’s soul. No, this was a void, a black hole, sucking in everything near it.

“It would be disastrous if you were to continue to lie to me, Maz.”

Yes. He knew that voice. Better yet, he knew that malevolent nothingness.

When Maz spoke, she sounded unafraid, and unintimidated. “It would be disastrous for _you_ to think that you could continue bully me every time you showed up in town, now wouldn’t it, Snoke?”

“Quite, so! You’re a gambling woman, Maz, no? Do you want to bet who has more to lose in this impasse? If you do remember, I hold the deed to this lovely establishment.”

“Until next month, when I get you the last of your stinking, blood money.”

“Yes, yes, of course. But until then?”

Kylo Ren didn’t stay for the rest. He turned and sprinted, taking the stairs in twos and threes until he reached Rey’s door. Without thinking to knock, he threw the door open.

Mistake. Not his first, or his last. But definitely his gravest today.

Rey sat in the metal tub, immersed in steaming water, her head lolled back, and a shapely calf and petite foot hanging over the edge. Probably very relaxing for her, the first in days. Scents of lavender and patchouli and morning rose wafted towards him. And on a regular day, he would stand still in the calming beauty of it all, inhale his fill.

However.

The moment Kylo Ren barged through the door, Rey reacted—as anyone would, he guessed—by standing straight the fuck up, completely forgetting she was naked. In one moment, he was angry because he could have been _anybody_! And the next, absolute fear descending upon him as his brain caught up with the situation at hand.

His brain, now aware of what danger he was in, screamed at him to turn, but the Force hummed its delight and Kylo Ren wish he could glare at it for its timely arrival on days of all days. Kylo Ren’s brain—still aware and still screaming turnturnturnturnturn_turn—_tried to make him, but he stood stock still because he couldn’t. He _couldn’t_. He just stood there, staring with wide, unblinking eyes, his mouth hanging open at the rare opportunity to drink her in.

_My gods._

Rey wasn’t beautiful. There were things about her that didn’t fit within the standard—she needed a few meals, her skin was too tanned, her curves lissome and slight.

But not to him.

Ren, himself, did not fit the standard of a handsome man. To him, that mattered little because his aura, his personality, and his riches made up for it. To him, that didn’t matter because women swooned, and men either hated him or wanted to be him, and his mother thought he was the most striking alive.

So, _fuck_ the standard.

Rey wasn’t beautiful. She was _transcendent_. Superior. Seraphic. Celestial. His gaze was torn from a patch of hair at the vee of her soft thighs, the cutest belly button he’d ever seen—it was _perfect_. Further up, two dusky tipped nipples centered on dainty breasts. The faultless column of her smooth neck spoke to him in languages neither of them knew. A chin that beckoned his thumb, to tug down so she would open up to him. Up, up, until his eyes fell on her lips, her mouth.

Oh, shit.

A mouth—beautiful really—that was falling open in shock.

Ren panicked because the last thing they needed right now was a shrieking human alarm to give off their location. He charged at her, like she was a _falumpaset_ who’d seen red, clearing the space between them with long strides. Scooping her out of the basin—she was such a tiny thing—he pushed her up against the wall and covered her mouth with his hand. She looked at him, eyes wide with surprise, the length of his body plush against hers.

If Rey only knew the power she held at that moment.

Shaking, gulping, gasping, he put a finger to his lips and pointed towards the door.

A droplet of water trailed down her neck and onto his hand from where he had it safely pressed against her shoulders. It burned in a way that he didn’t understand.

For a moment, for forever, for a second, a minute—time stopped. The world went quiet. There was an absolute stillness in the room as if everything else had fallen away, leaving only the two of them, marooned on an island, supplemented by the Force. Ren knew it was possible, he just didn’t think it would possible with her.

_Why is the Force connecting us?_

Rey blinked, her eyes going even wider. _I…I don’t know._

Kylo Ren’s almost choked on his tongue when he realized she could actually hear him, and could answer him in the same way—not with her lips, but with her mind.

_My gods, my stars, this should be impossible! She is …strong with the Force._

She shook her head._ That’s impossible. That’s impossible!_

With strength he wasn’t sure she knew she possessed, Rey kicked him out of her head and he stumbled back with the strength of it. She stared at him, and he stared at her, both of their chests heaving, their faces locked in wonderment.

It would be something he would have to think about later. He would meditate, like his…like his uncle taught him. Shaking his head to clear the last vestiges of her hold on him, Ren snatched his cloak off his shoulders and covered her nakedness. Then he backed away. Far, far away.

“G—get…get dressed. We’ve got company,” he tried, carding a hand through his hair and forcing himself to tear his gaze away.

Rey recovered faster than he did. She wrapped the cloak around her like it was a towel and ran across the room to her runny sack, withdrawing a set of clothes. “What do you mean we have company? No one knows we’re here!”

“Well, apparently they know _I’m_ here and since you’ve been seen with me, _we_ have company. Can we talk the details later? I think it’s better to do that when we are not _here_—”

A slow, meticulous, yet heavy cacophony of footfalls could be heard on the other side of the door. Kylo Ren cursed as he trotted lightly to the door and gently, _gently_, pulled it open.

“Five…maybe ten, headed this way. Great,” murmured as the shadows from a candle cast long silhouettes against the wall. One of them was short—Maz—but the other leading one was stretched tall and thin.

“Damn it, Snoke! Why can’t you stay on your damn ugly ship and leave me alone?”

“Snoke?” Rey looked at him strangely as she rubbed the front of her shirt. Kylo frowned until he realized she hadn’t bothered with any of her underthings and was—oh, nipples…poking…through…fabric. He almost broke his neck turning away. “Who the hell is Snoke?”

He looked around the small room frantically before his eyes fell on her study. “Someone you don’t want to meet and if you could just excuse me for a minute.” He gripped the edge of the heavy study and yanked, uprooting it out of the grooved spaces it was slotted in. The fucking thing was heavy as he dragged it from the corner and placed it against the door, dusting his hands off and nodding. He then ran to the burning fire in the hearth and using the small shovel, scooped up some of the hot chucks of burning wood into an empty chamber pot. _Good plan. Good, good plan, Ren._

Rey was less impressed with it. “That’s our only exit, moron.”

“Fine!” he snapped in his anxiety and frustration. “Use it! See where you end up!”

There was a heavy knock at the door, and it was Maz’s voice that called through to them. “Rey.” There was a moment of hesitation before she spoke up again. “There are some…men here asking after you. My rules states that you don’t have to open this door. I am just informing you what’s on the other side of it. Should you find that you have to take your leave early via another way…”

“Oh, Maz. You think you warn her off? Pathetic woman, I cannot be betrayed! Phasma. Break this down.”

Kylo Ren balled his fist up at the door and cursed as he hopelessly searched the room again. Seeing no other option, he ran for the window and threw it open. The sounds of Takodana were alive in the streets below. A farmer had parked his cart across the throughway, but the bales of hay were too far away to drop down onto.

_Maybe if they jumped really, really hard, they’d land in the cart? A boost from the Force maybe, if it could be relied on?_

Or maybe they could sprout wings and fly for all the luck wishing would do. He groaned and fixed his face before he called for Rey’s attention. “We’re going to have to jump down.”

“Are you out of your _kriffing_ _fucking_ mind! We’ll die at this height,” she cried.

“We won’t die exactly, but it might hurt a little. A lot.” He tried to give her a reassuring smile and in return, she whopped him upside the head with a stiff hand. Clutching his head, he glared at her. “Well, do you have a better plan?”

Before she could open her mouth—no doubt _not_ with a better plan— there was a large rumble and then a shove against the door, then another, then another. They watched in horror as the door edged open a bit. “No, I don’t have a better one,” she said, voice plangent as she eyed the window. She pulled her chin in and put one foot on the wooden sill and then the other, looking down at the earth below her.

She was gathering herself to jump when a rope dropped in front of her, ripping a yelp out of her.

“Grab the rope, miss. Hurry.”

Brows raised, she looked over her shoulder at Kylo Ren who shrugged. 

“Guess that little prayer to the gods worked. Go. I’m right behind you.” He turned to face the door, then whipped back around. “And don’t look down.”

“I’ve been at higher heights than this, pirate. I expect to see you very, very soon. No heroics.” Rey then grabbed the rope, and eased from the ledge with a grunt, before she began hauling herself up. 

Kylo Ren watched her legs disappear out of view and was reaching for the rope himself when with a final lurch, the study flew back and the door banged open, knocking against the wall.

The room flooded with men, all masked, all in a bright red that hurt they eyes, and all with a variety of weapons at their sides. A tall, blond woman stood to the side, her eyes straight ahead, ever the good minion. A waifish redheaded man waltzed into the room and took a moment to sneer at Ren before he stationed himself on the other side of the room. Hux was never one for fighting, mostly because the coward couldn’t punch his way out of a wet paper bag.

The last to enter was seven feet of abnormality. The cleft in his skull still stood out against his pale flesh, and his mangled, damaged flesh gleamed like a crumpled map of puckered skin and scar tissue. Whereas Hux stood in the corner in his high collared coat, black as night, with a First Order pin sitting proudly on the lapel, Snoke retained his usual flair for gaudiness and slogged into the room with the grace of a stolen crown.

“Young Solo,” he purred, striking blue eyes locked on him as he stopped center of his guard.

The use of the name rankled him. It would be easy to rise to Snoke’s taunts—he was so good at manipulating people’s weaknesses—but instead, Kylo Ren afforded him a bored look. “You know, Snokie, this little game of cat and mouse you so love to play is getting a little old.” He gripped the rope between his fingers and backed towards the window. “Why haven’t you given up already? You must know I’ll never join you.”

The laugh, dark and sinister as Snoke was, reverberated softly, and unnaturally in the room. “Oh, this isn’t about you anymore. Although I will see you on your knees, Young Solo. Not to apprentice under me—the choice you would have made if your soul wasn’t so splintered and you not so weak and pitiable. Oh, no. I want to watch you beg as I take the one thing that matters to you away.”

“You want the lightsaber? Sorry. I don’t have it.”

“You lost it?” Hux cried. “It was invaluable, priceless! A relic of such great power! Bazine was right about you.”

“My heirloom,” he nodded, ignoring his quip about his former lover. “Can’t lose something you never had, Armitage. I suggest you ask my mother what she did with it when I was a babe.”

Apparently, it had fallen into the hands of the same aunt who’d gifted a young Ben Solo his calligraphy set. So, as far as he was concerned, it was lost forever. 

“Such spunk. Such lies,” Snoke spit and hacked. “You know how I hate being denied anything, Solo. The sooner you hand it over, the sooner I kill you.”

“You want me to hand it over _and_ die? You know, crater face, as a child, I always believed the stories of you being a wise and powerful pirate. Then you had to go and prove me wrong.”

“I’ll have your head on a pike before this is all over and done with, you little shit,” Hux spat.

Ren bucked at Hux and snorted when the sniveling little yellow belly lizard flinched, hiding behind one of Snoke’s Praetorian guards. “I’m sure you will, Armie.” He leaned back against the windowsill and winked at Phasma. She growled and Ren rolled his eyes.

“Now! You’ll forgive me if I don’t hang around for any more of this tender reunion, yeah?” Moving quickly, swung a leg back and kicked the chamber pot full of smoking and hot timber towards Snoke’s Praetorian guards. None of them screamed—save Hux—but they did step out of the way to avoid any of it hitting them. Taking the opportunity, he wrapped a hand around the rope and swung out the window, scrambling up the rolled twine as quickly as he could towards the roof.

When he reached the end of the rope, he realized he wasn’t on a roof, but a flat level observatory with a large window leading back into the inn. Rey sat there with her staff at the ready but almost dropped it in her rush to jump and throw her arms around his neck. He caught her easily around the waist, shocked.

“You _scared_ the hell out of me! You were right behind me and then there were—there were voices! I didn’t know what to think…” Rey trailed off and in lieu of any other words, she just wrapped her arms around his tighter. Gods, she was shaking hard as a leaf.

He pulled back and lifted her chin from his neck so he could look her in the eyes. Tears sat on her bottom lid like fresh morning dew, but she was too stubborn to actually cry but honestly, Ren was humbled. The only people who’d ever truly cried for his sake were his parents. That his woman, this stranger, would care if he lived or died…

“Hey, hey. I'm okay,” he whispered, voice rough with an unnamed emotion, an emotion he'd sort out later. “Look, not a scratch.” Rey did not look appeased and began searching his body over for wounds. He caught her hands when she began patting down his sides. “Rey. I’m fine,” he tried, dipping his head so he could make her look into his eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t know that! You could—it could be _hidden_. Inside of you. I felt…darkness, darker than you are even capable of producing and—your body—I—I’m going to kill him, whoever that was. How dare—”

“As I appreciate any examples of affectionate moments that I can store away in my data files, it would be imperative that we move quickly.”

Kylo looked up from Rey’s face, flush with fury and worry. “Emmie?”

The cyborg gave a slow, efficient smile before putting a finger to her lips. “At this point it would be best if you did not say my name.” She cut the rope with a solid hack of an axe and they all watched it slip back down over the ledge and to the ground. Emmie rotated and began to trek back through the door leading into the observatory, indicating with her hand that they should follow. “If you’d like to exit these premises, I can show you the way.” 

Kylo Ren grabbed Rey’s hand and slipped it into his as they trailed behind Emmie into a large room sparkling black with obsidian and jade encrusted walls. It looked like something out of a fairy tale. A dark fairy tale. The walls were lined with raven’s cages, but no actual ravens were found inside. Instead, mechanical birds with glowing blue eyes stared out from the confines of cells. One of the birds looked at them with those luminous eyes, decided they weren’t worth their time and turned to bury its beak back into the layers of copper feathers.

“Snoke makes his appearances here in Takodana at least once a month in search of recruits or something he can…acquire for some of the travelers. My guess is that he has a lookout working the stables and that is how he was alerted to your presence. My employer, Maz, is not …fond of him, so I have been tasked with aiding in your escape. You came to the right place. Your reputations proceed you, young Solo and young Adorae.”

Rey stiffened, and her nails dug into the side of his hand as hers squeezed tightly around his. “How did you know my name?”

“That is something you will have to ask Maz. This way.”

Emmie traveled further into the room still, her hand pressed against the resplendent wall until she stood in front of a monstrous sized fireplace times and times larger than the ones in their rooms. She knocked once on a stone, then again on another. Then she pressed forward on one, and Ren watched as the fire died down to a smoky hiss. The hearth dropped away and slid back, revealing a set of stairs.

Kylo Ren quickly made for the stairs wanting to be far, far away from Snoke and his shit, but he paused, looking back at Emmie. “Won’t you get in trouble for this?”

“Maybe,” she said simply, as if it were an option she’d already prepared for. “Snoke has no awareness of this, and yet if he asks, I will lead him from here and say you escaped that way.” She paused and gestured towards the roof. “The stairs will take you under the town. Keep along the walls, west, until you come to another set of stairs. Tell them ‘_Jidai’_ and they’ll know it was Maz who sent you.”

Kylo Ren placed a single credit chip in Emmie’s hand. She glanced at it, then tried to return it. “I have no use for this.”

“Keep it as a souvenir.” Kylo said as they began to take the stairs beyond the hearth. “Just in case we don’t make it.”

“Jidai. We were told to say Jidai.”

A gasp. “Evil has found its way back to Takodana!”

The young man pulled them out of the shaft and into the light. He glanced over them, eyes worrying between the two, but with a look of frank indignation and not surprise, as if he’d done this before.

“Snoke. Heard of ‘em?”

The man dramatically punched his palm. “Vile, vile, murderous snake,” he hissed, staring back towards Takodana proper.

Check out the theatrics on this one. He was an odd looking fellow. Rangy, angular face, beak like nose. Hair was this strange shocking unnaturally yellow color that was mussed and sticking up all over the place. Kylo Ren held out his hand in greeting but the weirdo only had eyes for Rey.

“To think that malicious, wicked hellhound would try to harm someone as…as beautiful as you.” The man reached for her hand—which he had to do by patently knocking Ren’s out of the way—and …was Rey about to give it to him?

Yeah. No.

Kylo Ren smacked his hand away, glowering at him like he’d stolen something precious. Rey gasped and he frowned at her, unamused. He was just trying to make sure this strange man didn’t put is slobbery lips all over _her_ knuckles. _The nerve._

The man, for his part, looked up slowly, a stupid smile stretched across his stupid lips on his stupid face. “And who might you be?”

“Ren,” he bit out.

“Nice name,” the man dead panned. “And…the lady?” His gaze flicked to Rey before turning back to Kylo Ren.

“None of your damn business!”

With him being around Rey so much, he was quick to learn her body—for example, like when she was about to attack him. Which was often. So, he was able to move his boot out the way when her foot came down. Because he was an adult, he stuck his tongue out at her.

“Stupid pirate,” she muttered as she shouldered Kylo so she could step in front of him. “You can call me Rey.”

“A beautiful name—abnormal, usually reserved for a man, no? But no less beautiful, for a beautiful lady.” Stupid. He sounded so stupid. Then he gave her another one of those awkward smiles. 

Oh, this was _gross_. Kylo Ren maneuvered his way back in front of her, ignoring Rey’s indignant gasp. “And who might you be?”

“Your savior it looks like but most call me Matt.”

Kylo Ren snorted out a laugh because what kind of name was _Matt_? Kylo Ren, now possessed by some slimy green thing the same color as Rey’s eyes, opened his mouth to ask where he got such a stupid name, but Rey cut him off.

She was rude. Rude, rude, _rude_.

“Well, Matt, _we_ thank you over and over again for your help.” She elbowed Kylo but it would be a cold day on Mustafar before he thanked the man. It sounded like this was half his job anyways. Wasn’t like there was anything else fun to do in Takodana. “What do people usually do after they find themselves in your stockroom?”

“Run, most like it. Hope you’re not tired. Snoke will start banging on every door in the town until he finds what he’s looking for. We sit around chit chatting any longer and he might find his bounty.” Matt tapped the end of her nose and Kylo Ren contemplated murder as Rey giggled. “I’ll be right back, Miss Rey.”

Rey turned towards him with a disapproving glare once Matt disappeared around the corner. She untied his cloak from around her neck and snatched it off her shoulders. She flexed to her tiptoes to throw it around his. “You’re actually growling.”

“No, I’m not,” he said, his voice sounding petulant even to his own ears.

“Could you ease up on the antagonism? These people are saving our asses, if you haven’t noticed. But you might be too busy getting us _into_ trouble to recognize when someone is getting us out.”

Kylo Ren’s frown darkened at her proximity and her accusation. He snatched the ties out of her hands and finished tying it off at his neck. “I think he’s a little too friendly to be the neighborhood escape artist. I don’t like the way he’s looking at you, either,” he muttered.

His gaze narrowed on Matt as he came around the corner with two parcels sacks and yep, Rey was right. He was growling. In response to his obvious state of paranoia and instead of calming him down, Rey looked back over her shoulder at Matt, and said, “He can look if he wants.”

Ren’s mouth flopped open and closed like a land caught fish. In all of his days, he had never met such a vindictive, vexatious woman!

“Do you have a plan for us?” Rey asked, either oblivious or purposely ignoring him.

“Yes. We’ll take a back way until we reach the forest”.

A thought struck Kylo Ren and he yanked on the ends of his hair in frustration. “The horses.”

“Ouch.” Matt scratched at his chin. “Well, Maz will keep the horses, you can be sure of that.” He placed a parcel in Rey hands and tossed the other to Kylo Ren, watching with a smirk as he fumbled with it before he could grab it.

“Rey here said you were heading to Theed? About another two to three day travel on horse. Can’t tell you how much longer on foot so I’d suggest staying until the morn. By that time, Snoke and his group will have made East. They always leave at sunrise after they’ve made asses of themselves. You guys will have to spend a night in Endor, which isn’t too bad.” He eyed Kylo. “Unless you’re scared of heights.”

The Force was being good to him today, and he briefly thought about wrapping it around Matt’s neck.

Matt led them around the back of his small cottage on the edge of town and down a path, overgrown with weeds and foliage, a sign that it was not often used. The three of them traveled in relative silence with only sparse patches of moonlight to help guide them, fearing a candle or torch would give them away.

A branch smacked him in the face, and Kylo Ren snarled, stepping around them, only for the roots below to reach for his ankle with every step. Rey was a few steps ahead of him, and one of those roots landed true. She tripped over one, and then another, and then another, cursing as she landed flat on her belly.

Kylo Ren moved to help her up _again_ with a deep scowl. This was the third time she’d fallen. The next time, he was going to throw her over his shoulder so she wouldn’t get hurt. “You’re the clumsiest woman I’ve ever met in my life,” he murmured.

“Shut up,” she hissed, rubbing at her ankle. “I can’t see shit out here.” Kylo reached to take over rubbing her ankle for her, but popped up at her side, looking down at her with that stupid, melodramatic expression on his face. 

“Are you okay, Miss Rey? It’s dangerous out here at night.”

Rey looked at him, smiling softly at his concern and said it. She–said–it. “I am a creature of danger. A root will not be what takes me out, Matt.”

_I am a creature of danger._

_I am a creature of danger._

_I am a creature of danger._

Kylo Ren reasoned it out. Maybe it was a Coruscanti saying, something that matched her Coruscanti accent even though she never, _ever_ mentioned Coruscant in all her stories of her travels. And her voice. The accent was common in Chandrila, yes, but when she said that phrase, _Rose’s_ phrase, she sounded so much like the courtesan that his ears rang. 

What was he missing, here?

Or did he simply miss Rose?

By the time he’d focused again, he noticed that there was only one other set of footfalls on the twisted path and they were Matt’s. Rey was wrapped around his back, and his hands tucked firmly under her thighs as he carried her along his secret way.

Rey’s chin rested on Matt’s shoulder and the way he tilted his head towards hers to carry out a conversation that didn’t include him almost made his head explode.

_Absolutely the fuck not._ Not on his watch.

Not thinking, because what good had thinking done him in the last few days, he marched up to Matt. “She’s my responsibility. I’ll carry her,” he barked.

Rey, startled, lost some of her grip and slipped down Matt’s back. The Takodanian was more than happy to adjust her, this time gripping the back of her thighs a little firmer than necessary.

Yeah, that was red he was seeing.

“I am perfectly fine right where I’m at, Kylo. And I’m not your responsibility. I’m sure we’ve gone over this before but just in case you forgot, you don’t have to—”

_Yeah, yeah_. He cuffed a hand under her arm and lifted her off Matt’s back. Catching her under her legs, he wrapped free hand around her shoulders and hoisted her up further until she rested comfortably in his arms. She fought a little in his grip, sputtering profanities he wasn’t sure a woman should know, so he pretended to lose his grip just a little bit. She yelped as she clamored for purchase. He grinned evilly in the dark.

Kylo Ren, 1; Matt, 0.

Matt smiled weakly as he watched the transfer over his shoulder and moved to say something to Kylo Ren, but when Ren growled, Matt held his hands up in surrender. Shrugging in defeat, he turned back for the path and led them deeper into the woods.

Endor was a palewood tree-house built around a large redwood that stood so tall it broke through the dense covering to where they could actually see all of the night sky again.

“Are we supposed to climb that?” Rey asked.

Matt looked at her, then up to Endor and then back again, laughing. “Oh, no! We’d never make it if we had to do that!” Matt walked over to a large square piece of wood connected at each corner by four long ropes. “What you do is, you stand here,” he instructed, pointing to the wood, “and then you untie this rope. A weighted bag drops on the other side and it lifts you up to the loft. Perfectly safe.”

Kylo Ren and Rey glanced at each other before she wiggled a bit. “I can walk.”

He hesitated to let her down, and once her feet touched the ground, he steadied her like she had hurt herself if he let go of her. She obviously didn’t appreciate that with the speed she invoked to get away from him.

Once they’d stepped onto the flat wood, Matt untied the rope, and Rey squeaked as they began to ascend towards the loft. Ren began to reach for her, driven by an insatiable need to do so but refrained. Despite the height, it didn’t take them long to get the planked walkway surrounding the treehouse.

“This place is a hellhole in the winter months,” Matt said as he led them inside. “But it’s warm out so hopefully that’ll hold you over until sunrise. Still a bit chilly, if you ask me. I packed a skin of water for you both along with your food.” He moved to the lanterns around the loft, pulling a flint and steel out of his pocket to light them. “There’s only one mattress and it’s pretty lumpy. I apologize but it’s only for one night.” He thumbed to a corner under a window to where an odd shaped pallet rested.

“I’ll be back to get you first thing and get you back to your horses. Until then, sleep tight!” They both watched as he walked towards the opposite end they came in and out through the door. There was a chunk of wood with a hole bored into the middle of it, and another stretch of rope threaded through. He waved a two-finger salute and hopped on the wood, slowly descending back to the ground.

Glad to be rid of the nuisance, Kylo Ren looked around the sparse holdings, frowning at how dusty the loft was, yes, and the fact he had to spend the night in it.

Snoke was supposed to be on a damn ship in the middle of the Silver Sea! No telling what that monster was doing on land during a prime season, but it was very foolish for him to abandon his ship for measly coffers off the highroad. Or the damn lightsaber. One he didn’t have.

Besides his anger, there was guilt. For dragging Rey into this, when all she wanted was to be left alone. Remembering how scared she was and how tight her grip was in fear—he had truly fucked this one up. He’d make it up to her. He swore it on his life, even if he had to escort her on his back all the way to Theed.

“So.”

He turned to look at her as she pulled off her boots and took a seat on the mattress, digging into the parcel and pulling out a slice of cold mutton. He sat down beside her and opened his own, biting down into an apple. “Hope you don’t mind sharing a pallet with a troublemaker such as myself.”

She snorted and bit into her food. “We’ve been in worse sleeping arrangement. You want to tell me who Snoke is?” she said as she swallowed the last bit of meat in her mouth.

He chewed on his thought for a second before taking another bite of the apple. “Snoke styles himself The Darksider King. He’s known to plunder both sea and land and his reputation for being a miasmic poison proceeds him. Ego the size of his head. And his head is quite large.”

“Nice. What does that have to do with you?”

Nothing, and everything at the same time. “I’ve always wanted to be a marin—a pirate. My family had different expectations for me, but I’d met a First Order pirate and he’d told me about Snoke, and how Snoke had freed him from a life he didn’t want to serve and given his money and power he didn’t deserve. Showed him his true capabilities. So, I went off to meet him.

“He talked a good game, got inside my head, made me resent my parents and their plans to send me to the House of Light like a castoff. I…had a temper as a child—"

Rey snorted. “As a child.” She shook her head and waved at him to continue.

“And my parents—I never saw them anyways, so it felt okay when I forsook all of my titles and riches. I was a year shy of my eighteenth. The next year I was to receive my heirloom. The Skywalker lightsaber.”

A gasp had him looking over to her. “That’s…real? I heard it was a legend!”

“Oh,” Ren laughed, “it’s very real. Maybe the last lightsaber in existence. More could be made of course, but that requires a trip to Ilum to harvest a kyber crystal.”

“Nobody wants to go to Ilum.”

“Too damn cold.” He tapped the one around his neck. “Never got around to making my own. I supposed I should have listened when my Uncle gave his lessons on it.”

When he looked at Rey again, she looked hesitant. “So, you are Ben Solo, the son of Light from the House of Organa.”

“Was,” he snapped. “Ben Solo doesn’t exist anymore.”

Rey’s face softened. “I understand what it’s like to have to leave a name behind to start a new life. I…wasn’t always just Rey. Once, I was Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi of Stejewon.”

“Very small world, Rey. My family was very close to a Kenobi once. You may have inherited a truly noble blood.” If she were a Kenobi, her strength in the force would make more sense.

“Adopted,” she said, unknowingly dismissing his assumption. “My uncle, Sir Obi-wan, found me, abandoned on a ship heading for Jakku, and saved me. Funny, how I ended up there, anyways. I don’t know who my real parents are.” A look passed over her face, rift with vulnerability and a hidden sadness, but it cleared, and she leaned back on her hands. “The lightsaber. Is that why he is after you?”

“Yes. I have no idea where it is.” Kylo Ren shrugged. He slid a piece of meat into his mouth, but decided he wasn’t hungry anymore, and put the food away. He watched her finish her meal before he slid back and laid down on the mattress. Rey took a long sip from her water skin but not before eyeing Kylo Ren out of the corner of her eye.

“I’m not going to bite you, Rey. But there’s only one mattress and we need the sleep.”

Rey sighed and reluctantly agreed before tying off the parcel and setting it aside. Slowly, she moved back into place, lying on the far edge of the mattress as if Kylo Ren would renege on his promise and sink his teeth in her shoulder as she slept.

“Good night, Ren.”

And Kylo watched as she fell asleep.

An hour passed, and as much as his body begged for sleep, Kylo Ren couldn’t quiet fall into the slumber he wanted. Beside him, Rey’s shoulder rose and fell as she slept, her hair fanned over the mattress, and Kylo Ren found himself staring at it. His fingers itched to touch, so he did, picking up a few stands, and caressing the ends with his fingertips. It was still a touch damp and tangled.

His mother taught him at a young age all of the traditions and customs of her planet, Alderaan. He knew at least forty different ways to braid— dutch, and basket weave, bow braids, French, and loose.

He could, he _would_, have braided her hair for her. That wasn’t as intimate as taking down one’s braids, but it felt near enough.

He leaned in close and inhaled, his falling shut. She smelled _so_ good, like the forest, and a spring garden, and the sea. He ran his fingers through a tangle and hoped her hair would be dry by the morning. Then he would offer. He wouldn’t tell her the meaning. Ever.

Without his wanting to, his thoughts swerved, taking a dangerous route. In the quiet of the loft, the only thing he had _were_ his thoughts. They had been on the road together for days. Most of it quiet, but a lot of it not—filled with stories of their pasts and what they dreamed their future would be like. They talked about things, deep, visceral things that could only be culled from the bottom of their souls in the quiet of night, sprawled across leaves and soft dirt. She’d shown him her favorite constellations, and he’d shown her how to use those stars to always find your way home. 

And it wasn’t a bad thing, not at all. When she wanted to be, she could be warm and inviting, yet he still enjoyed her sharp tongue. Her, all of her, plucked at a silly, hard to ignore string of attraction that he’d tried to quell.

She was Rey. He was Kylo Ren. There was Rose.

But, the thing about strings was, unless the edge of staunch conviction was sharp enough, they were impossible things to break. And the sight of Rey naked—her soft curves, and that look in her eyes, moments before it morphed into shock, and the faint blush that spread across her cheek—was enough to dull any blade.

_I am a creature of danger._

His gaze trailed from her hair up to her back, over the arch of her hip. He sucked in a breath when he realized she had been shivering. His first thought was the throw his cloak over her. She’d lost her own back at the inn.

But then _he’d_ be cold.

He made a fast decision, and instead of doing something sane, like searching for a blanket or seeing if there was a way to start a fire up here, he reached for her, pulling her close. For a moment, all was still. He buried his nose in her hair and inhaled and something in his heart broke. A knot tied quick in his stomach. His eyes prickled.

He was promised to another. He was _promised_ to another.

He could not have her. He could not keep her. Yet, there was nothing that he wanted more.

Again, the world slipped away and a different sort of quiet descended on Endor. The noiseless void when two people were connected through the Force, the tingle of being one with everything, and being one with each other.

In his vision, in her dreams, their desires match. She imagined him touching her, the way he wanted to. Together, in some place that was filled with both light and dark, he slowly removed her clothing, let them gather around her feet, and his, joining the pile. When she spoke, when she whispered, when she moaned, and breathed, and writhed, it was his name she called out. He clutched to her like the thought of losing her would kill him, and she bared her teeth at anyone who would try to harm him.

It was all interrupted as the vision went fuzzy at the edges, then sound rushed back in and Kylo was confronted with her thrashing against him. Still, too lost in a vision where she wanted him back, he wrapped his arms around her, like he had in her dream, as she struggled to get free.

“Have you gone mad? Let me go!”

“And watch you freeze to death?” He draped a heavy leg over hers because although she didn’t look it, Rey was strong, and it was taking more effort than he’d calculated to keep her close.

“It’s the middle of summer, ass,” she hissed.

“And we’re dangling in the middle of the air. The higher you go, the colder it gets. That’s why—” And then he bit her, sinking his teeth into her shoulder like a hound would his mate. A promise he’d made just a few hours ago to not do just that came to mind but, but although unorthodox, Rey calmed immediately, “—we have to stay close.”

“Are those—are those your _teeth_? Are you…biting me?”

He shrugged as he lifted his mouth from her shoulder. “It works with dogs.” Yes. Yes. He had bitten a dog once to calm it down. Spread the word. Yes.

“I am not a dog, Kylo!”

“But you’re calm,” he said, sounding wise, although it was a very unwise thing to say.

She was silent again and Kylo sighed, getting comfortable, pulling her closer to him. She was so soft in his arms. And he could fall asleep. Just. Like—

All hell broke loose.

Rey wrenched an arm free from his grip and slammed it back down to his rib. The same _fucking_ rib. He groaned and an arm slacked enough for her to wiggle free, but not fast enough to escape him. He clamped down on her shoulder as she made to stand and yanked her back down to the mattress. 

As her back hit the pallet, she rolled to a knee and lunged at him. “You can’t just—do what you want!” She rammed into him, colliding like two stars, and he braced himself to soften the impact of their fall, but she was on him before he could gather himself.

He had no idea, none, why Rey was fighting him like a madwoman. It wasn’t like he’d _really_ bit her. 

“What are you talking about? I just wanted to keep you warm!”

“Why? Why do you want to keep me warm?”

He batted her hand away when her claws reached for his hair. “What kind of dumb ass question is that? Calm down! And we can talk about your ridiculous reaction to—”

Fuck. Pain exploded across his jaw. Her jabs _hurt_. How could such a tiny fist hurt so much?

“Rey, dear, please, this is crazy!—”

The little banshee dipped under his outstretched arm, feinted left and before he could blink, she had her hands fisted in his shirt. He coughed as she slammed him against the wall.

“I want to calm down, I do, but I can’t! You are driving me insane—don’t you get that? You have been driving me insane since you showed up in my life!”

“Okay! Okay!” he said, putting his hands up, palms out, so she could see that he was not going to fight back anymore. “I admit, the pinecones were a bit much and—and!—so was hiding your clothes after you finished washing in the river, and _okay_, I’m sorry I almost lit Stormtrooper on fire. It was an _accident_!”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

Kylo tilted his head, absolutely confused. “How I’ve been driving you insane? That’s not the—what's the topic of discussion again?”

She growled in disgust and shoved him away from her. He just barely missed his head smacking against the wall, and as she stormed out of the loft to the walkway bridge, he was right on her. She groaned as he approached and rounded on him.

“Oh my god! What? What do you want!”

“Hey! What’s with you and the yell…ing?”

Kylo Ren snapped his mouth shut as a single tear escaped from her lovely eyes, trailing down her cheek. It never made its destination down her shirt, because she rubbed it away with the palm of her hand.

“Oh, Rey—I’m—please don’t—oh gods, please don’t cry.”

She swiped at her tears angrily. “Would you shut up?” She whirled and headed for the walkway again, but he cut her off, sliding in front of her, hands still in the air. 

“No. No! What have I done to you? How have I hurt you? If I knew how to make the Force work so I could find out without you having to tell me, without having to hurt you further, I would. I swear. But I can’t. I won’t. Please,” he pleaded, watching as more tears collected and more tears fell. “Is it because of our…that dream you had?”

“This isn’t happening,” she sobbed. She looked up to the sky. “What have I done to deserve this!” More tears collected, and more tears fell.

“Okay. You don’t have to tell me. But…I would appreciate it. I would do anything to stop you from crying right now.”

The look of pure frustration on her face—Kylo would never forget it. It was a swirling mass of anger, and sadness, and hopelessness. “You—" she groaned, burying her hands in her hair and tugging. “You haven’t done anything, okay. I’m the one who’s crazy and I’m the one who’s stupid and—”

He cut across her as if he hadn’t heard her. “Whatever I’ve done, I’m _sorry_. I’m so sorry.”

That, remarkably, was the straw that broke the bantha’s back because the sadness and hopelessness drew back like a shadow at dawn, and rage loomed over.

“You and your apologies! Save me the apologies! I said you didn’t do anything, so what are you apologizing for?”

She choked on her next words when his thumb grazed her cheek. Kylo was desperate. He didn’t know much about women—of the two he’d ever cared about, one had left him for the First Order to be Snoke’s personal mercenary, and the other was…paid to like him back. But all he knew was to act on instinct, to console her, even if he didn’t know what was making her cry.

“I mean it, Adorae. It hurts me to see tears in those eyes. It hurts even more because I feel like I’ve seen them—well that’s not possible—or is it? I mean this has been bothering me all day and… are you sure I don’t know you? From somewhere else?”

Kylo Ren admitted two mistakes—one, it was a completely inappropriate time to bring that up, and two, he was _seconds_ away from comparing her to another woman.

And it was as if she knew that.

Rey laughed as she tried to choke back a sob, looking up at him like he’d lost his damn mind. “No. You don’t know me. Not at all.” She slapped his hand away from her face and ran—away from him—towards the other side of Endor.

Kylo made to follow but she stopped and turned and the fire in her eyes burned him to ashes.

“Do _not_ follow me,” she snarled.

And then she was gone. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Rey. 
> 
> You all are super sweet! Thank you for all the comments!


	5. You Apart From Me—I Shall Not Suffer That

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys really are the sweetest and the best and I love all the comments and the conversations we are having about this! 
> 
> Thank you!
> 
> There is some violence against Rey in this chapter that is sprinkled throughout. If that isn't your cup of tea, DM me and I'll give you a synopsis of the chapter and you can wait for the next one!

It wasn’t as if he were sleepy before and then his slumber was interrupted. Sleep was truly elusive, and no matter how many times he closed his eyes, tried to think of nothing, to slip in between the cracks of his exhaustion and oblivion, he couldn’t. It wasn’t a rare occurrence—sometimes you couldn’t sleep if the sea was tossing your ship back and forth, and it was easier if you just got out of bed and stared at her, lulled her back to sleep with your company. Sometimes he would sing to it.

Singing was out of the question right now and so was his company. A certain mulish, obstinate woman with the most _remarkable _eyes and captivating wit and infectious humor and the stubbornness of a fucking bull would—not—come—back—to bed.

His every attempt to check in on her was met with hostility. He’d ask her a question, she would glare, lip curling. He’d stand there as if meeting her recalcitrance with his own would win her over, make her see the error of her ways, make her come back to bed. Between the two of them, she was the gambler, and the house won every time. She would snatch up her things and move to a different level or side of Endor like she couldn’t stand the sight of him.

It was driving him insane.

Maybe she was crazy—these were clearly the actions of someone who was unhinged. Or...could it have been something she ate—no, he too would be senseless. Change in altitude? Made your head fuzzy? or some kind of mental affliction that only targeted young women who traveled the countryside too much?

Dawn was approaching, filtering through the trees and leaving a latticework of shadows and light against the loft wall. The soft indentation of a head was still where she once laid, and the scent of moss was still woven into the fabric of the pallet.

Even if he wanted to ignore her, pretend she didn’t exist for a few hours so he could sleep—he just couldn’t. She was everywhere, physically and mentally, and he was _tired_. Tired of not knowing, of not understanding, exhausted with even thinking he _deserved _to know, to understand.

Whatever. He should just go get the horses, strap her to the back of hers, dump her in Theed and then go find the one woman who actually appreciated his presence and didn’t dump this bizarre emotional guilt on him.

He felt…. weird.

The end conclusion was evasive with so many pieces missing being withheld but…but her eyes, damn it! Her eyes had looked so sad, so lost, and somehow—maybe intuition, maybe the Force, maybe common damn sense—he just knew he was at fault. She could deny it, would deny it. But he knew Rey. She thought she was mysterious and aloof, and that no one knew her. She was wrong.

_I do. _

And he’d done something to wrong her.

There was nothing for it. He’d have to make her see—see that he...cared—or make her confess. With a grunt, he rose, rubbing the last remnants of lost sleep out of his eyes.

Kylo found her towards the south end of Endor this time, throwing her dagger into the wall, snatching it out, throwing it, snatching it, over and over again, eyes glassy and glazed over. Asleep but wide awake.

Kylo Ren snarled because that’s what she got for not sleeping! Yet and still, he approached her slowly—just in case she got any bright ideas that her dagger would look nice hilt deep in his shin.

“You should get some sleep,” he tried softly, praying she looked back and saw what was in his eyes—concern. Nothing much, really. Just the twelfth time he’d made the suggestion since last night. No big deal. Same refrain, same reaction.

She didn’t acknowledge him, didn’t turn to the sound of his voice, but, coincidentally, the thud as the dagger sunk into the wood got _noticeably_ louder, and Kylo Ren, being the smart pirate that he was, took a step back.

“I’m going into town to get the horses. Do you think you’ll be alright here?”

Green eyes slowly ascended towards him, like vines creeping up the side of a building, and when they locked with his, they were cold enough to freeze Tatooine over. “Do what you want, Captain.”

He bit back his retort, bit it back so hard he almost bit off his tongue. The last thing he wanted was to get into another shouting match with her—one he’d lose because he had no idea what she was upset over!

Space. He’d give her some space. Some time away from him. It was clearly what she wanted, and if that’s all he could give her, he would.

Mind made up, Ren turned to leave but something deep inside of him made him pause before he’d even taken his first step. A knife, smaller than a dagger, but just as deadly, was strapped around his ankle. It was Naha Fey’s in actuality; her first treasure as his First Mate, and because of that, she was shoving it in his hands every time he left out on his own. .

It felt silly. Rey was already armed, twice over, but this knife meant something to him. It had saved his ass so many times that he was beginning to think it was blessed.

It protected him, maybe it would protect her.

Kylo Ren placed it down after he’d unsheathed it, next to her, close enough for her to reach, but with the blade pointed towards him, so hopefully, she knew he was not a threat.

She glanced over, slowly, green eyes clearing up long enough to give it a long withering moment. Then they—her eyes, her mood, the sky—clouded back over. “My need for a toothpick has long passed but thank you.”

“A tooth—” This time he did bite his tongue and the copper taste of blood filled his mouth. “Could you just please keep it with you?” he said, just on the cusp of losing his shit and yelling in frustration. “I would feel better.”

“Yes,” she cooed. “Because this is all about you, isn’t it, Captain?” She held up her own dagger, black edge looking as dangerous as she did, a capricious smiling stretching across her lips. “Might as well toss this one. It just pales in comparison to…” and she flipped her dagger into the air, snatching it mid spiral by the hilt and slamming it into the bridge, “this.”

Honestly, he wondered if he tossed her over the edge of the bridge would her big, fat, stupid mouth keep her afloat.

“Don’t do anything stupid. And by stupid, I mean anything you would normally do without supervision. I’ll be back by noon.”

She gave him a sardonic two-finger salute that felt very much like the one-fingered gesture she’d given him a few days ago. Which felt like a lifetime. Funny. He felt closer to her as a stranger than she did now. Yet his need for her was stronger as she kept herself away.

As he descended from the bridge, the last of her disappeared from his sight, his heart thudding with anxiety, he realized something.

He missed her.

Not that Kylo Ren was a scholar on Takodana, but for a town that was bustling and clamorous the night before, the quiet was so eerie that it crept down his spine and gave him chills. People mulled around here and there, setting up shop for the market, another dusting off a statue of Maz that he hadn’t seen the night before—thank the stars! It was absurd.

An old woman was throwing water out into the street, her eyes downcast and her body dropped. In a stable, a young boy was tending to horses, but between him and the horse, neither of them looked as if they appreciated the other’s presence.

They all went about their day, but they did so quietly, as if making any noise would alert someone, as if they were prey in a forest.

As he passed the young boy in the stables, he glanced at Ren sidelong for a faint moment, then looked away, as if burnt by the sight of him.

Frowning, he ignored him, ignored most of Takodana, because in his brief stay, he’d learned that even good people could be downright peculiar. The only thing he wanted to do was get their horses and thank Maz and Emmie for their help—Matt, too. Although, he’d rather grease himself up and wrestle a bear over a pit of broken glass.

Ren approached the large wooden door of Maz’s, staring up at the Crazed Kowakian sign that was now listing to one side, one of its anchoring chains swinging with it. It gave him pause so he tried to wrangle the Force to his side again today. When it cooperated, he sent out tendrils of power—light and dark—but nothing came back to him. Like a void had swept across Takodana and with it, sucking every morsel of awareness he could use.

That was never a good sign.

He needed to leave, and he needed to leave now. He wrapped a hand around the handle of the main entrance and yanked, when someone cleared their throat. When Kylo glanced over his shoulder, a blacksmith, soot just beginning to settle over his skin for the day, was leaning against his anvil, hammer dangling from his hand.

“Going into Maz’s?”

Clearly, he was going into Maz’s. “What’s it to you?”

The blacksmith shrugged and returned to his work. “You’ll find out.”

Add cryptic and unhelpful to the list of Takodanaian attributes.

He made his way in, ducking his head through the frame of the door and squinting into the darkness of the main hall.

Ren stilled at what he found.

There had been a fight. A huge, terrible, fight.

People were everywhere, slumped over in pain, passed out from blows to the head, others clutching at bleeding appendages. As he scanned the crowd of broken bodies, he was relieved to find only one man had passed, a sword gripped in his cool dead hand. Kylo recited the only House of Light prayer he could think of and wish he could burn the body, however, those were his customs, and he couldn’t prescribe them to a stranger. Instead, he touched his hand and said, “The Force shall set you free.”

A loud groan tore Kylo Ren’s attention from the corpse and he crossed the room quickly, careful not to step on anyone, to find a man face down in a plate of mutton and gravy, the side of his head cake with dried blood.

Ren pulled his face from the food and lifted him up to sitting. The half-conscious man exhaled in relief and Kylo Ren turned his head away because his breath reeked of alcohol, stale food, and blood.

“Stars, man, what happened here?”

The man winced. “Stop ‘yer stupid spinning and I’ll tell you.” His eyes swam until he grabbed his head to stop it. His fingers came away blooded, and he reached back up to the side of his head, flinching when they ran over a cut raking across his temple.

“There was a fight,” he muttered eventually, words slurred and almost indistinct from one another.

Kylo stared at him balefully. “Any blind man could have told me that. Can you tell me why?”

The man searched around the table, fingers dancing across the wood until he found what he was looking for. A cup. He tipped it towards his face then growled when nothing fell from it. Sighing, “Some asshole and his dumb ass guards in red wanted to round up men to go find a pirate and his wench, or rather something like that. Some redhead rodent of a man made the announcement and Tikus threw bread at him.”

“And that’s what started the fight?”

“Nah. It was our refusal. Most of us, the likes of me, for instance, wanted to stay ‘ere with the whores and the drinks, but he insisted…at the end of a sword. Apparently, a few of the Takodanian men apparently were tired of this man’s shit–a brawl. A fucking brawl.”

“Is this man still near?” Kylo Ren took another look at some of the men scattered about the dining hall, none of them looked like Snoke’s men.

“He left this morning. Figure this, he actually spent the night here after his men tossed us around like feathers! He’s got the balls of a demon.” The man scratched at his neck like a dog with fleas, prompting Kylo Ren to take a step back.

“What’s with all the questions?” The drunkard glanced up at Ren, eyes narrowing. “Who are you?”

Kylo Ren left him to sober up, and remembering Maz’s tour, decided the kitchen might be the next place to look. Maybe he could find someone sober enough to help him.

Except:

The kitchen was a mess too. Pot were scattered, tossed, and thrown, food wasted across the counter, a sack of flour had been ripped and overturned, and a thick layer of white had settled over the floor.

Maz sat atop one of the counters, her boot resting in a pile of cold half-baked Shepherd's pie. Her small frame was slouched over, her dark skin paled by a coat of flour.

“Took you long enough,” she grunted out, a pipe clenched between her teeth and the corner of her lip busted.

Ren, alarmed, jumped over an overturned pot and approached her, still having to bend down to inspect her closer. “What happened to you?”

She turned her head to exhale smoke, a blithe quirk resting on her lips as she smacked the hand reaching to prod her lip away. “I protected my castle, is what.”

Her account varied greatly from the drunken man’s in the hall. “I’d explain, child, but it’s too dangerous for you to still be around here. Matt told me about the horses. They are still in stables. Get ‘em and leave. I don’t want Snoke to double back and find you still here.”

“I’m—I’m sorry. This is all my fault.”

Maz regarded him for a long moment before pulling her pipe from her mouth and setting it down. “Come here. Let me take a look at you.”

Odd request, but guilt made him follow her quiet command. He took a knee, which allowed Maz, finally, to tower over him. “So much of your father in you. He was the soft-hearted one between the two of them, him and Leia. It was so very…human of him.”

“You—” and he stiffened when her small hand came to his chin, gently guiding his head to and fro in her inspection. “You know my father?”

“That scoundrel? Of course. Your father was quite the pirate himself—bet he never told you that.”

Shock, anger, confusion ran through him. “He was a…pirate?”

“Of sort. Use to do runs for me. Talked my damn ear off about the Kessel Run and how he made it under—”

“Twelve seconds. I thought.” Kylo sat back on his haunches, only belatedly remembering the flour. “I thought he did that during the war.”

“Before.” She sighed. “I have something for you, Ben.” This time, he didn’t bristle at the use of the name. “Look in that cabinet. The one branded pig innards.” At his look, she chuckled. “Open the damn cabinet.”

Warily, he did, peeling it back open to find–not pig guts—but an old curio box.

“It calls to her, you know. Your lady. Could it be that you’ve given up on it?”

Inside was…

Inside…

Inside was the Skywalker Lightsaber.

_“It calls to her, you know.”_

The thought hounded him. It followed him as he left Maz’s kitchen up to his room to grab his and Rey’s things. It chased him as he searched for the stables. It would not let up as he grabbed both Stormtrooper and Silencer and began the trek back to Endor.

Why would his heirloom, _his heirloom_, call to a woman who just days ago, knew nothing of the power she held?

He’d met plenty of force-sensitives in his lifetime—Finn, Maz, Rose, his own mother—ones whose powers laid dormant, if by choice or by ignorance. In the _days _he’d known Rey, she had come to awaken hers and nearly match his.

Impossible.

He glanced down at the lightsaber. _Was it because of you? Or was it because of me?_

Kylo didn’t hold much attachment to the mythical blade. His grandfather had died before he was born, and although rumors of his mastery of darksider’s ways had always been a…helping hand in some of his decisions, he trusted Anakin—Vader—for his wisdom, and not his legacy. In another world, in another life, he may. In this one, he did not.

But could he hand over a lightsaber, his by right, to someone else? Even if that person was–

_BEN!_

Kylo looked up, his eyes jerking wildly around the empty forest. That sounded like—Rey?

Rey?

_—Ben! Don’t!—_

Rey!

Kylo Ren wasn’t a religious man by far—he’d detested his supposed conscription to the House of Light for numerous reasons and that was one of them—but he was acutely spiritual in several ways. Although the only true church he’d ever been in was the one his uncle was the head of, and although his prayers amounted to more code than divine entreaty, he found himself praying feverishly to every god he could think of that he would make it soon. That he would make it before that, circumvent the flow and ebb of time, retrace his steps so that he was back on Endor, staring down at her—him, frustrated, her angry, but safe.

The clearing came into view and he raced to it, through it, bringing Silencer to a halt, Stormtrooper right on his heels. With his heart thundering in his chest, he practically jumped off Silencer, his eyes searching for the signs that someone had been there.

Nothing. Nothing.

Kylo Ren stilled. If he were happy, he would draw on the light, but he was scared, so very scared, and the darkness welcomed his fear, and him, as he closed his eyes and reached, and reached and reached.

Nothing.

Stars.

Nothing.

He couldn’t feel her anywhere.

“Rey! Please, sweetheart! Answer me!”

_Please, please, please._

Kylo Ren didn’t care if he attracted the entire Chandrilian Royal army to this clearing—he would force them to help him locate Rey, even if it meant his death.

“Rey! Rey! Can you—”

An arrow rushed past his ear, nicking it, with a stealthy _whooooosh_.

It wasn’t the arrow that concerned him. It was as if someone had opened a hatch, the removal of feeling, and light, and dark, he felt from the moment he left Endor and entered into Takodana rushed back in, bright and burning. He felt it all, their fear, their pain, and—and…

Darkness. The void of light. He now understood how he hadn’t felt this—felt her.

“I’m afraid Phasma missed.”

Kylo whipped around to find himself surrounded by Snoke and his flock of Praetorian, and Phasma, a bow dangling at her side, but her muscle tense as if she could easily knock another for amusement. Hux was missing—not that he cared.

"There has been an awakening, Young Solo. Have you felt it? The dark side and the light?”

“What you do isn’t just dark, Snoke. It is the complete absence of light.”

“Ah, yes.” Blue-grey eyes lifted towards the sky. “There is a…prophecy, a rumor that there is a hole in the sky that has the power to consume everything that nears it, time, light. They say it is found in the sky, but then…. there is me, here, amongst mere men.”

Fuck. If you let him, Snoke would wax poetic about himself until the stars twinkled out. He didn’t have time for it. “Where’s the woman?”

Snoke threw his head back in rancorous laughter and Kylo Ren wanted to yank the arrow out of the tree and jab it into the hole in his head. “You are unbalanced, Solo,” he chided. “Besotted by some girl. You failed! Now,” and he sat tall on his horse, ostentatious gold gleaming in the mid-morning sun, “this next part if very important. Listen carefully.”

Kylo glared, eyes burning with the same heat of anger in his chest.

“Hux.”

Moments later, a crop of red hair appeared through some of the greenery of the forest. Kylo sneered at him, and in return, Hux raised a brow, his smile the warmest he’d ever seen on the man.

Until…

He yanked hard on a rope and a bound and gagged Rey tumbled into the clearing, her nose running freely with blood as she fought to keep her head back. When she didn’t follow his unspoken command, he heaved on the rope again, and she pitched forward, past him. To stop her, sunk a hand in her hair and jerked, forcing her back to stand in between him and Snoke’s horse.

Ben Solo had a temper—it had been a ferocious thing, one that he was able to better channel into power, strength, and authority as Kylo Ren. But right now, the anger he felt held no match, to anything Ben had felt, to anything Kylo had experienced. One glance at her ruined, disheveled hair, the blood smeared across her face, her torn clothing and—he was going to go ballistic. His blood ran hot with all fury.

He reached for his sword.

“Careful, Solo.”

Hux kicked at the back of Rey’s knees and she collapsed with a whimper. “She is at my mercy. It would be a shame for her to die because you can’t control your pathetic instincts.”

Kylo Ren looked at Rey, her head lowered in defeat, and he wanted, no needed her to look at him, even though he knew what he would find—fear, _debilitating_ fear. Quickly, he wished the thought away. He couldn’t handle that. Not right now.

He tried something else. Something untested and unreliable, but his only card left. _Rey. Rey! Sweetheart, please answer me. Please._

Nothing.

“What do you want, Snoke?” he said through clenched teeth. “I’ll give it to you! You can have it! Just let her go!”

“I see so much strength in her,” Snoke said, as if Kylo had said nothing. “Darkness rises and light to meet it.” He laughed again.

“You’ve felt it, haven’t you? What else have you…_felt_? She has to be a wonder for you to devolve into the rabid cur I know you to be.” Snoke slid his boot under her chin and lifted her face. “She is beautiful. No wonder Unkar Plutt wants her back on Jakku.”

Rey’s eyes had been screwed shut throughout the ordeal, but they flew open at the mentioning of Jakku.

It wasn’t sadness in her eyes, it wasn’t fear. It was desolation.

“75,000 credits. What could she have done to have such a price on her head?"

All Ren wanted to do was reach for her, and hold her, and tell her it was going to be okay.

Jakku, the country she’d worked so hard to leave behind was looming before her, it’s gaping maw of captivity waiting eagerly for her return.

Kylo Ren would die before he let that happened.

“What do you want from me? Whatever it is, whatever I have, I’ll give it to you.” And it was the truth. He would. If Snoke asked right now, he would give up his riches, his dreams, his grandfather’s lightsaber if it meant…

“I told you,” he bellowed. “I told you I would see you on your knees and I shall have that! I want to see how far you’re willing to go for this girl,” he whispered as he tugged at the knot holding her gag in place. As it dropped away, he bent over, tilted her chin up and kissed her, running slobbery lips over hers, his hand fisted in her hair to keep her still.

Kylo Ren was _shaking_ with anger, his whole being vibrating, his lips pressed together so hard they were spotted with white.

“The Supremacy is docked in Starkiller, a quarter’s day ride east from here. A treasure for a treasure is what I want. And I want something… oh, well you’ll think of something, won’t you? Bring it to me and I’ll think of letting her go, one way or another. Follow me out of this clearing and I’ll give you her body in pieces.”

Hux marched to his Captain’s side, this time practically throwing Rey to Snoke who situated her in front of. Hux tied her rope around Snoke’s horse’s saddle horn.

“By sunfall, Ben Solo. Do not disappoint me.”

Kylo Ren caught Rey’s gaze as Snoke turned his horse around to trot out the clearing, her eyes searching his and her lips quivering as tears collected and fell. He didn’t break eye contact with her until she disappeared around a turn, Snoke’s men falling behind to make sure Kylo Ren didn’t try anything stupid.

Do not worry, Rey. I will come for you. Always.

The sun was high in the sky, noon, by the time he felt Snoke’s presence vanish. Noon. Another hour to think before he had to make his way to Starkiller.

The lightsaber. He could give him the lightsaber.

No.

_No_.

That would equal to their deaths. Snoke could not possess the lightsaber and not suffer the only known heir he knew to live. And if he sensed Rey’s power, then Snoke knew that she could potentially wield it. He had to find something else. But what. But _what_?

Silencer, who had never strayed from his master’s side, butted him gently, and sounds of pity emanated from the back of his throat at his Ren’s distress. Stormtrooper had strayed to the edge of the woods, stubbornly sniffing at a patch of woods. She would paw at the ground, look back at him, then turn her attention back to the woods. Kylo Ren ignored her and her peculiarity. She could run off for all he cared.

Then he heard it. A rustling in among the branches. Stormtrooper looked back at him and this time, he could see her frustration with him reflecting in her eyes.

Kylo Ren’s head shot up and his eyes jutted across the clearing, looking for the source, when a tuft of sickly yellow hair popped up.

His brows furrowed as he made the person out, tall, lanky figure in orange against the green of Endor. “Matt?”

“Damn it!” he hissed, throwing his hands up. “When will you people learn? Don’t say names!”

Kylo Ren rush to standing, hellbent and furious until he was staring before Matt and Emmie’s squatted forms, hidden behind the trunk of a fallen tree. “How long have you been there?” he said, his voice far calmer than his anger belied.

Matt looked at him like he’d asked to name all the stars in the sky off the top of his head, and that did it. He snatched the man up from the ground, his hands in a white knuckle grip around his collar until he could Matt up into the air, feet barely dangling. “Did you just watch, you piece of shit? Did you just watch as they beat her and dragged her off?”

“No!” he said, and had the gall to sound affronted. “I mean, yeah, I did but—”

Hearing that, Kylo shook him like a disobedient pup, watching that stupid, stupid hair fly back and forth.

“What did you want me to do? I don’t own a sword! I don’t know how to fight! Run out there and get myself killed? And then who would be around to help you, huh?” He clawed at Ren’s grip, breathless as the collar choked him. “Let me down!”

Growling, Kylo Ren tossed him to the ground, wishing he could kill him. Or at least give him matching wounds like the ones Rey had to suffer.

“Help me?” He screamed. “Help me? How are you going to help me? Do you somehow have some sort of invaluable treasure lying around? Do you have some sort of army to help me storm Snoke’s ship? No, you don’t, do you?”

“Invaluable tre—are you stupid?” Matt looked at Emmie, who stared at them both with a blank, impassive look, and then back to Kylo Ren. “What, you think that Sir Creepy wants gold and silver chalices? He _has_ all of those things. He wants the one thing you want—which would be Rey. You have to give him something better than that, and ain’t no stupid gold gonna work.”

“I don’t—I—” Kylo Ren fell silent as his conundrum circled back around to snarl at him in the face. “Better than Rey? I don’t have anything that’s...” His hands sunk into his hair.

“Nothing?” Matt pursed his lips, disbelieving. “You don’t have _anything_ that you personally treasure? A locket, a…map, pirates love maps. Or maybe a prized dagger—a book! No, wait. Last I heard, you pirated can’t read. What about your horse? Your ship? Your—”

It hit him so hard it physically hurt, and so did the following sharp intake of breath. Kylo Ren spun from Matt and Emmie, returning to Silencer and the saddlebags perched across his back. He tore through his belongings, tossing food and maps over his shoulder until he came across the wrapped parcel. Throwing the soft cloth open, he gazed at his treasure. “It’s…”

_Rose’s book._

Emmie and Matt came up on his right and left, both looking over his shoulder as he ran a gentle hand over the cover. “You actually own a book, huh,” Matt said, awed.

It wasn’t just a book, it was _the_ book, and neither he nor Rey would even be in this mess if this book wasn’t _that_ important to him. He’d be on a ship, drinking with his crewmates, listening to Naha Fey’s insane stories or drowning Azer out as he went on and on about his weekly fight with the cook. Rey would be in Theed by now, doing…whatever she does.

He’d be sailing the coastline in hunt for bounty or bartering a trade of goods for a rare relic. She’d be—not abducted.

But—and this was the selfish thing about it all, about _him_—had he not met Rose, had he not decided to travel the countryside for a book, had he not decided to detour his return to pester her…

He would have never met Rey.

And even now, with all of his fear, and all of his despair, and all of his guilt, knew that if he had not met Rey, he would have missed her all of his life. His missed kismet, an unfulfilled destiny. To not experience her smile and her warm laughter. How she’d felt in his arms, the way their minds and their bodies lined up, as if they were the mold for the other’s creation. Not having her in his life was inconceivable. Contrary to his next breath. He would have _missed_ all of that and somehow…the book lost its luster, its shine.

Was Rose’s smile worth Rey life? Did he even have to ask himself such a stupid question?

“One Thousand and One Arabian Nights. It’s…a rare. I chased it down like a man possessed. There is only one other copy in all of Chandrila.”

Matt clapped him on the back as he looked down at Kylo Ren’s discovery. “You’ve found your treasure. Now go get what you _really_ need, Kylo. Go get your woman.”

Kylo balked at that, the tip of his ears going red. “I—that’s a bit much—”

Matt frowned at him, and even though, now, Kylo was assured that Matt wasn’t after Rey, he still thought he had a stupid face and stupid hair.

“Have it your way. We can ride for Starkiller at once. Emmie, if you could please, run for Takodana and tell Maz what’s happened. Snoke most likely won’t let me on the ship with Kylo Ren—I have a reputation and he doesn’t trust me,” he said, turning to Kylo, like his statement was noteworthy or impressive.

“Should I tell her about Snoke?”

Matt nodded. “Yes, but instead of her charging the ramparts, have her send a message to Sheev. I doubt he’d be happy to hear how his son has strayed off the path.”

Emmie nodded as Matt continued to run off a list of commands. When he was finished, she nodded at Matt and bowed at Kylo.

“Good luck to you, your Highness, Ben Solo.”

Kylo immediately began sputtering. “That—no. I am _not_—”

“You are not who? Ben Solo? A prince?” Emmie tilted her head in confusion. “ Unless my data banks are inaccurate or outdated, I believe New Alderaan exist, therefore—"

“Okay!” Matt turned Emmie towards the path leading back to Takodana. “Please deliver my message as fast as you can, my love. And hopefully, I will return to you.”

Emmie nodded, once, the same mechanical whirring in the air whenever she moved. “I will wait for you to return before rendering an emotional output equivalent to your fervent adore, Matt.” And then she was gone.

When Matt noticed Ren’s upturn brow, he said, “Love. Isn’t it grand? Let’s go.”

The sound of waves lapping in the distance is the only thing she can hear. Rey sat secluded in the corner of some dark dank cabin on the Supremacy, rubbing her chafed and reddened wrists. It had a putrefied stench to it, like rot was an ever present thing here. Her unease was coupled with the wretched conditions of her cell—barnacles creeping along the interior walls that were waterlogged and decayed, verdant and lavender colored mold that she’d edged away from hours ago, and maybe bones—of an animal or...person.

It wasn’t the worst. Plutt has once imprisoned her in a half empty sand silo with a dying bantha. For weeks, she survived on nothing but hardtack portions and her own liquid waste. Then the bantha died, and Rey had to make the decision to eat as much of it’s decaying raw flesh or starve to death. The horror of that was nothing compared to sharing an enclosed space with a corpse.

This supposed confinement meant to frighten her? A seaside resort in comparison.

A few candlemarks ago, they’d sent a young man with a serving tray loaded with bread, cheese, and dried nuts. In return, Rey had quite literally thrown the tray in his face. Snarling like a feral nexu, she screamed, “Leave me the fuck alone!”

He’d scurried out of there like she was going to eat him instead.

If she kept it up, they’d be dangling her from the mast next.

When they’d first arrived on The Supremacy, Snoke had awarded her with a cabin lined with windows and filled with fresh air, a soft bed, and a cushioned settee in front of a lavish vanity, but the moment they’d unwound the rope from her wrist, Rey attacked the closest man to her, jutting the hard flat of her palm against the bridge of his nose, breaking it.

_That’s for making my nose bleed!_

Another tried to jump her as her first victim crumpled to the floor, yet the moment his hand slapped down on her shoulder, she bent and twisted and rose, flinging him over her shoulder, not caring when she heard the sick crack of his head again the floor. She kicked him for good measure. A punch flew at her face, poorly executed, so in retaliation, and just because she was annoyed, she kicked him between his legs. Twice.

They deserved to die for touching her. Darkness swirled around her and within her as she took them on one by one. It felt good, _so good_, to smash, and grab, and scratch, and gouge.

They’d taken her by surprise that morning while she dozed against the base of Endor’s largest tree. She’s traveled from Endor’s heights to the ground, gathering her courage to face Kylo when he returned.

It was a peace offering, one that seemed more and more inevitable the higher the sun rose. She was wrong. She _was _so wrong—she should say sorry, right? It felt like the right thing to do. Her uncle had raised her to be kind and fair, and although after his death, the world had taught her that her kindness and her staunch capacity for empathy would be the death of her, she never, ever forgot his lessons.

She was not being kind. She was not being fair.

This wasn’t his fault. None of it was! She and she alone had gotten herself in this mess and—it _was _sort of…endearing, him and his overbearing attempts of protecting her, and apologizing for shit he hadn’t even done. It was…

Rey needed to look at the positives.

Kylo Ren was never destined to be her lover. Even if it felt right, even if her pulse raced if as much as looked at her, even if she felt her skin vibrate when he touched her.

She was Rey, and he was Rose’s.

And instead of something treasuring something that was always meant to exist in secrecy, she’d gained friendship, forged by fire and sweat and blood!

Great. It was great! Really, just–

He may never want to cup her smaller hand into his, or thread their fingers together, kiss, caress, or touch her, grow old with her but—he’d talk to her! And make her laugh! And all kinds of friendly things you could only do with a friend.

Friend.

Friend.

Friend.

Kylo Ren was her _friend_.

So, as soon as he came back, she would accept that. Until then, she would mourn. And she did, letting the last of her tears flow for the fantasy created of her own conscious volition.

However, as her tears dried, the rustling in the woods didn’t bring a brooding Kylo Ren and their horses trailing behind, but a posse in red, a man with a pinched face and pale complexion, and a tall blond woman who stood at the side of a towering man on a dappled dark grey courser—all of them looking like at her like a captured prize.

Rey stood frozen at the base of the tree, staring at them staring at her. And she didn’t move, she didn’t dare move. That was until the blond stepped forward, approaching her with her fist flexing, and Rey had no other choice. She’d charged at the tall, imposing woman with both Kylo Ren’s boot knife and her own dagger, but the woman, the warrior, knocked them aside as if Rey was trying to fight her with a set of twigs.

Her staff had been left behind at the Kowakian in their rush to leave but stars if she had it now, she’d be on even grounds. The woman moved as if she’d trained her whole life to fight smaller beings, and as Rey scrambled after her weapon like a child would after a runaway ball, the woman caught her across the throat with her forearm and watched as she flew into the air before crashing into the ground. Still, Rey fought, and she kicked, and she screamed, even as the woman’s boot landed heavily against her chest, knocking the wind from her.

Even though Rey couldn’t breathe and was trapped in an impossible situation, her thoughts strayed to Kylo. She could warn him. Warn him not to come. It was all she had left—this ephemeral, mercurial, and confusing mental connection with him.

_Ben!_

Above her was a raised fist, and Rey squeezed her eyes shut, trying once more.

_Ben! Don’t!—_

She’d only awoke minutes before Kylo Ren stormed into Endor without any regard for his own safety. So much for warning him. She should have tried something else, something that would have revolted him such as—_I want to have babies with you! I love you! _

Yeah. Next time.

Now, she was locked away in a dark hellhole after she’d been so close to beating her way to freedom on the deck. Cheaters! All of them, blowing whatever the hell that damn dust was in her face and knocking her out again.

Rey was very tired of being knocked out.

The door was snatched open and light flooded into the cabin. Rey winced and covered her eyes, but when they adjusted, Snoke stood there, like a hobbled, flesh and bones prune. The look on his face was unreadable, though it could be that Snoke lacked the facial structure for a true reading in his features.

“Are you ready to behave yourself, Young Rey? Someone as beautiful…and powerful as you should not have such a nasty kick.”

Rey fought her glare, her revulsion, her anger, and stared up at Snoke with wide, innocent eyes. She’d learned early from governess that men were absolutely fools, malleable to perceived helplessness. And Rey could appear real helpless.

“You are absolutely right, and I’m real sorry about that, it’s just that—well, I was scared and I didn’t know what else to do!”

“Such…spunk,” Snoke said, inclining his head. “Nevertheless, You must be famished, dear. I see our…bread and cheese didn’t suit your taste.” He sniffed. “We have other offerings for you to choose from. Everything on this ship is at your disposal, dear. All you have to do is ask.”

“Yes, yes,” she said, nodding. “That server—could you tell him I’m sorry? And I am terribly hungry and I—I would die for something to eat.”

There was a smirk and a dark chuckle. “Oh, that you can be sure of.” He crossed the room, his gossamer and silk sliding across the floor with each step, to kick open a chest. He produced a dress for her, simple and elegant, but most importantly clean, laying it and a slip across his arm for her inspection.

“You want me to…”

He deposited in her hands and gave her a look that she was smart enough to not argue with. “We’ll have company soon.”

As if Rey were the guest of honor and not being held captive, the crew had laid out an extravagant dinner before her in the little time they had to prepare—pheasant drenched in a rich cranberry sauce, a vegetable medley of carrots and fresh greens, and an endless supply of decadent desserts. Rey was surprised that a pirate as uncouth as Snoke even knew how to dine so richly.

He’d sat her to his immediate right, confirming her suspicions that he was truly treating her as a guest of honor and was deluded into thinking she wanted to be here—the nerve. Most of the crew were dismissed below, with or without food, Rey did not know. And so, she was left in the company of Snoke, Phasama—the woman she’d fought earlier—and Hux, Snoke’s First Mate. There was also the presence of the guard in red. They stood close by, frozen in silent anticipation.

“Your… inamorata,” and Snoke wrinkled what was left of his nose distastefully, “should be arriving soon.” He leaned towards her and the faint smell of burnt flesh invaded her nose as if he always smelled like the fires that surely had consumed him. “It would be wise to pray that he has something of worth to barter you for.”

Rey leaned away from him, instinctively, and covered her sharp movement by reaching for her goblet of wine. “I’m sure things will work out the way that they are supposed to.”

“We shall see soon.”

She watched the sun easing towards the horizon just over Snoke’s shoulder, counting down the minutes until dark. Honestly, she hoped Kylo didn’t show up. Snoke was not to be trusted. Of course, she was not one to wait for someone to rescue her, in any matter. Whether Kylo Ren showed up or not, it was up to her to rescue herself. If she had to join his darkness so that she may live to see the light again, she would.

This was more than likely a trap, anyways.

“Master Snoke,” Rey started, fingering the rim of her drink.

He seemed to like how she said it, or what she said, because he leaned forward, eerie, unnerving eyes flitting across her face. “Yes?”

“Both you and Kylo Ren are darksiders.”

Hux chuckled at Snoke’s side. Phasma, as always, was a stoic, unmovable presence near him. “You’re wondering why we don’t…get along?”

“Get along” was such a trivial way to describe a feud that had incensed Snoke so much as to want to kidnap her to get back at him, but she nodded, anyways.

“What Solo practices is not the truest form of the dark. He and his Knights of Ren are merely faux practitioners of the art that I have mastered, the art I inherited from a true darksider, a Sith. The darkness, Young Rey, is more than recognition, it is more than tapping into it at your leisure, as he liked to do. He has bastardized what I hold true and he thinks, because of his lineage, he has the right to do so. He shall learn that what was told would be his, is mine by destiny.” The look of unflinching calm morphed on Snoke’s face, warping into a bestial snarl. His heavy hand came down on the table and it was by luck alone that Rey’s goblet did not spill over. “I _am_ heir apparent to Vader! Me. And he owes his tithes to my anger.”

Rey did not react to his speech. She knew one thing: he was mad. Absolutely insane.

Her eyes narrowed in what she hoped was a dawning look of curiosity, then. “What is true darkness, then? I’ve always...felt it, but I don’t know what it is. Not really.”

The calm returned, like the sea after a storm, although Rey was learning that Snoke had no choice but to show emotion with his eyes instead of the wasteland of his broken face. “Would you like to experience it?” His smile snaked up one side of his face, shifting the crevice of flesh and bone. “If you are patient, I will show you.”

“He’s—he’s here!”

_Perfect timing._

“And he’s alone.”

Rey scowled. _Perfect idiot._

“I thought the dumb sot would at least bring a backup,” Hux quipped, mirroring Rey’s own thoughts. He turned to Rey, and that feckless, revolting smile graced his thin lips. “Your night is about to get a whole lot interesting, my lady.”

_Yes. And I pray I get a chance to gut you like the pig you are._

Phasma approached, cupping a hand under Rey’s arm and hauling her to her feet just as Kylo Ren’s form appeared over the lip of the hull, the setting sun silhouetting him as he approached.

“Ah, the Supremacy,” Ren purred. “Wood and durasteel, yet no soul.”

Hux sputtered, pointing a gloved finger at Ren. “You only wish you had a ship as glorious as this one, Ren!” Hux spat.

Kylo Ren grinned like Hux had complimented him. “Maybe,” he contemplated, kicking one of the masts. Some of the wood chipped away easily. “The ship isn’t the problem. It’s the people who own it. Alright,” he said, hands in his pockets with an absolute air of nonchalance. “I’m here like I said I would be. Let the wench go—”

And despite herself, despite the situation, anger swelled up in her chest and she glowered at him. He seemed to sense her vexation and going by the tick that appeared across his cheek, he was trying not to laugh.

In all of her days, she’d never met someone so damn…irritating!

“Let’s fight this out like men. It’s not like you to hide behind the skirts of a woman, Snoke. Armitage, maybe, but not you.”

“I see someone found their balls at the bottom of a bottle because only a drunk man would be this bold after cowering like a feeble idiot only hours before!” Hux, already a pale man, was positively red at this point, spitting mad as he shouted. Rey noted it was from a distance.

Kylo Ren shrugged, striding his way over to the table with that inherent swagger that came from either practice or believing in his own shit for far too long. Although Snoke had not acknowledged or invited him to his table, Kylo Ren took a seat anyways, plopping down with a thump and smiling at the Darkside Captain like this dinner was all for him. It was the one time Rey had seen Phasma react to anything, her hand slipping from around her arm. Rey took the opportunity to sit again.

“Solo—” Snoke tried, but Kylo interrupted him before he could say another word by reaching over and snatching a leg of Snoke’s pheasant off his plate.

“Thank you!”

Rey snorted her laugh into her goblet and watched over the rim as Kylo tore into it like he hadn’t eaten in days. It was actually…disgusting, and if Rey wasn’t so amused, she’d be scowling.

Ren paused for a moment, throwing the stripped bone over his shoulder before grabbing a handful of Snoke’s vegetables with his bare hand. _Stars_! _Was he trying to die?_ He looked around the table, at Hux and Phasma and Snoke, who’d frozen halfway to sitting while staring at Ren’s antics. “Well, what are you waiting for? You invite me to this grand dinner, and you stand there the whole time gaping like fools.”

If the look Hux gave him indicated at all, any true power the First Mate had, then Kylo Ren would be roasting. As it were, it was harmless. By now, they’d had sailed off the coast, the Supremacy bobbing up and down in the water, drifting towards between Takodana and a basalt column sea bluff that stretched high, cutting off any visual of the sea beyond it.

They were in a dangerous position now and Rey prayed Kylo Ren had a plan—because he had surely ruined hers. He must have a plan because instead of fighting or trying to escape, he continued being a rude inconsiderate asshole the entire dinner, burping and knocking over drinks and laughing with food in his mouth.

Snoke studied him as if he were an animal set loose after years in a cage. “You have too much of your father's heart in you, young Solo, acting this way over a girl. Not even with Bazine...”

Kylo snorted.

“And I may liken you to a rabid cur but one thing you do not lack is table manners. In that sense, you have too much of your mother in you.”

“I’d appreciate it if you kept those names out of your mouth.” Kylo Ren dipped some of his bread in Snoke’s gravy before taking a huge bite of it. “And an act he says. I have no reason to treat you with propriety, Snoke. Let’s not blame my dislike of you on some penny-plain wench.”

Rey clenched her teeth together so hard, she was afraid she’d crack a tooth.

“Really. You came alone, to my ship, crewless, with only that pathetic sword at your side and a parcel. Tell me, if you did not show up for her, then why come at all?”

“It _wasn’t_ for her. You know me, Snoke. I like challenges—a fault of mine, my dreams of avariciousness! The nerve you had to try and steal something in _my_ possession. No one steals from me and gets away with it.” He took a moment, his every traveling from Snoke’s to hers. “She means nothing to me.”

Rey stared at him, and he stared back, his eyes devoid of emotion, cold, hard, vacuous. Usually, when the sun hit Kylo’s eyes, it was like looking into a pot of warm honey. Right now, they were as dark as his words.

“Did you know,” he said, continuing to hold her gaze. In the space between heartbeats, his eyes flit around her face, as if he needed to touch every point, take in every facet, judge every reaction. “That I have a woman waiting for me? She is beautiful. Soft. Kind. Nothing like this…_girl_,” he spat_, _“you’ve abducted.

“I find Miss Rey to be quite remarkable,” Snoke said before taking a long sip from his goblet.

Kylo Ren laughed, although there was no humor to be found. “You haven’t spent enough time with her yet,” he rejoined. “If you want to keep her fine. Know that she’ll try to kill you in your sleep for some maligned reasons she won’t ever tell you about.”

He chewed on the bread slowly as his glare froze over, like night time in Hoth, colder than she’d ever experienced and—Rey hoped he choked. Prayed for it. She would give her left arm if he turned blue, right this instant.

Snoke templed his fingers together before he pressed them against the remainder of his nose. “Hmm.”

“And I would let you keep her, but she is innocent, and I don’t bargain with lives in that manner, Snoke.”

The Darksider Pirate laid his napkin down over his plate, slowly, meticulously, as if nothing else mattered before glancing up. “Unfortunately, you have bargained with her life, Solo. So.” He made a grand, sweeping gesture towards the table. “Your treasure?”

Ren tongued the inside of his cheek, his cold glare leaving Rey’s to focus on Snoke. He reached down below the table and returned with the parcel, flinging it over, knocking down plates and goblets and food as the package blindly carved a course down towards the other pirate. “Treasure.”

Hux reached over Snoke to pick the parcel up and unwrapped it. Confused descended over his face, brows pinched as he placed the book down in front of Snoke. “Ren. We said a treasure, not some shit book.”

“Guard your tongue, asshole—that is no ordinary book.” Kylo leaned back in his chair and hauled his mud-caked boots up on top of the table. “Ever heard of Rose the Veiled?”

Rey froze and Kylo seemed to notice it. His eyes narrowed, but they were alight with curiosity—intrigue, maybe. “I see I forgot to tell you. You may know of her, Rey. She is from Alon, such as yourself.”

“Ah,” was all she said, could say.

“Yes,” Snoke said eventually. “I’ve heard of her. And?”

“I entered into a contract ago as her lover, if you will, and that, my perforated pirate friend, is a gift to her. Open it and you find a letter from her. That book is the only one of its kind in all Chandrila…and it’s yours. Know this: it took me _weeks_ to track down that book, and I can’t even begin to calculate how much in trade that time has cost me, not to include the actual price of the book—which was exorbitant. Nothing, however, will pain me as much as not being able to deliver it to her.”

It was nothing but luck that Snoke was preoccupied with flipping through the book in search of her letter because Rey was shaking. Her lips were parted in shock, her palms were moist and her breath—stars, she didn’t think she would breathe ever again.

The book. He’d…he’d bought her the book. Had combed all Chandrila for _her_ book.

“This is the treasure you want me to accept. And if I accept this, you want me to free the girl.”

Kylo Ren nodded, slowly, confidently. “That was the deal.”

Snoke said nothing for a long moment, staring down at the pages, then down at the letter with Rose’s name—Rey’s signature—at the bottom.

“Hux.” In one step, he was by Snoke’s side again. The Captain placed the book in Hux’s hands. “The sea.”

Rey’s eyes flew open as Hux approached the rail, lifted the book, and dropped it over the side. Rey tore out of her seat and flew to the side of the ship, watching as the heavy leather bound book gulped as air flooded between the pages and sunk like a stone, disappearing into the dark blue waters.

“No,” she whispered, haunted, hurt.

“You could have at least tried to tempt me with the lightsaber, Solo.”

She couldn’t see him, but she could hear as dishes and plates slammed against the ship’s deck. “I don’t fucking have it!”

“So you say. Do you not think I _feel_ it, Solo? I feel everything. That it is near. That it has _two _owners—how quaint!—and those two are here, at my mercy? Oh! With you gone, it shall be much easier for me to locate it and rule over it! Phasma, please grab our guest, will you?”

Rey whipped around to face them, her hands itching for a blade she no longer had. To her right, she could see Phasma head turn just so slightly in her direction, her hand going towards her sword. Her eyes scanned the ship for a weapon, a way for them to get away.

Nothing. There was nothing.

“No!” Kylo said, and the desperation in his voice broke through the dual emotions of fear and anger in her heart. “Let me—I can bring it to you. I—let her go and I’ll bring it to you!”

Snoke chuckled, dark, amused. “You lost that chance in Takodana. Your dishonesty is rather pathetic, don’t you think? Did you truly believe that I tempted you all the way out here to barter for this slip of a girl? Do you think I _need _to barter with you to get what I want?” He cackled, the sound broken, and slithery, and it, a command to his Praetorian guard who snapped into stance.

“I said I wanted to see you broken, and I’ll have you broken! Don’t think for an instance I believe anything you so carelessly said about this woman! She will be your undoing.”

Phasma’s sheath shot out, not aimed for Rey, but for Kylo, striking him with a blow to the ribs so hard it brought him to his knees. She then grabbed her sheath with both hands and pulled back against his neck, hauling him up, with her knee to his back, immobilizing him.

_Stop. Stop hurting him! Stop! _Rey didn’t need a weapon. She’d already taken out most of his crew with her bare hands. She could do it again. With a sharp, roaring battlecry, she charged across the deck and punched the first guard she came too. It connected, but instead of the satisfaction of a well-placed hit, pain radiated across her skin, and through her muscles, and down to her bones, like lightning had struck her.

“You can’t hurt them,” cooed Snoke, like she was pathetic. “Not like that, not against my power—although it was amusing to see you try, child.”

“You never meant to keep your promise, did you?” Rey tried, her voice firm, despite the pain.

“I _am_ keeping my promises, Young Rey.” He turned from her, snapping just once. It was enough of a command for the Praetorian not helping Phasma keep Kylo subdued to descend on her. None of them were kind about it, not kind about how they dragged her across the deck towards the railing. Not kind about their bruising grips. Not kind about how simply touching their armor hurt her.

“This is a rather…unfortunate end to our short-lived friendship, isn’t it? You have the spirit of a true lightsider; did you know that? Has Ren told you that? He knows. He held onto you because you are powerful, my child, not because he cared about you. That is how he is. He uses, he manipulates, he lies.”

Rey’s confusion was palpable as if she wasn’t connecting his words with the actions of his guard as they ripped the dress from her, leaving her only in the thin slip. Rope was produced from somewhere, and as Rey looked down at it, droplets of her blood from earlier that day was still there. She eyed it, transfixed, as they wound it around her wrist time and time again.

Someone hauled her onto the railing and true fear gripped Rey. She began to scream as loud as she could, pleas and prayers and bargains, until her voice cracked, but all she got in return was Hux’s laughter.

“Bring him! I want him to see this!” Hux crowed.

She watched as they dragged him forward, placing him at her feet, close enough that she could see the wild panic in his eyes, the hopelessness, the palpable fear, but not close enough to where she could reach out to him, grab onto him, save them with just the power of wanting to survive.

“Why are you doing this?” Kylo Ren choked out.

“I am the legacy of Vader, and once you are broken, once I’ve destroyed every bit of you, body and soul, then I shall reclaim what was mine—the lightsaber and the inheritance he left _to me_.”

Rey knew that Snoke was a madman, and that he could not be reasoned with but still she had to try. “You don’t have to do this.” She trembled as she felt him draw closer. “Please.”

“Oh, Rey.” There was a caress to her cheek, and Rey tried, she tried so hard to stop trembling and shaking. “You are right.”

She exhaled.

“I don’t have to do anything.”

Then she was falling, and falling, and—


	6. The Deep Blue of Your Soul

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short chapter—I know—but that cliffhanger was mean. So here!

Kylo Ren was sixteen years old the first time he ran across a man by the name of Elrik Vonreg, a First Order officer, and pirate aboard the Supremacy.

It was here, he learned not to trust strangers. Not to trust Darksiders who used their powers for selfish gain, rather than a deeper knowledge of the sea and land.

By seventeen, he was leaving the only home he’d ever known upon hearing that his parents were sending him away two years earlier than agreed, forfeiting their promise to allow him the time to change their mind. He had no future in the House of Light, yet his uncle had managed to persuade Han and Leia that the heir of the House of Organa was a liability.

It was here, he learned he could not always trust family.

By twenty-six, he’d clambered his way from powder monkey to First Mate and apprentice of the Knights of Ren after showing fortitude and propensity in the several years under Captain Yeesini Ren, a darksider who attempted to teach Kylo about balance. He’d garnered the trust and respect of his elder peers, while giving the younger ones something to idolize.

When Kylo Ren was twenty-seven, Yeesini Ren, on the brink of death from a wasting disease, commanded his entire crew to vote Kylo Ren as contender for Captain. Most did so willingly—Yeesini had never steered them wrong, and after a grueling fight where he fought his way through seventeen Knights, Kylo Ren became their new leader and Captain of The Finalizer.

At twenty-eight, Kylo Ren took full command of his ship. It was here, he learned that chosen family could feel like an actual family at times.

At thirty, Captain Kylo Ren watched a young woman plummet towards the Silver sea, her hands bound, and her lips parted in a silent scream. When he was old and grey, happily retired from the pirating world and at peace with the Force, he would remember this as the one solitary moment where he felt the strongest, felt the most passion towards one evolving ideal, the bravest in his entire life as he threw four of Snoke’s Praetorian off him, took off for the side of the ship and dived overboard after her.

It was here, he learned what he was willing to do.

The summer heat would have kept the water warm, but as the sun had abandoned them into the night, it was cool and cutting. And impossibly dark.

His eyes were of no use, even if he could stand the stinging brine of the freezing water, he could not see anything in the swirling mass of darkness.

He didn’t have the time to search the waters for her, swimming in one direction, only to be wrong. So, Kylo Ren stopped moving. He pushed all the air of his lungs and sank, his body disappearing into the murky depths of the Silver Sea.

There was a rumor—or maybe it was a lesson Yeesini had tried to teach him—of the hand that life and death play into power. And Kylo, still young and substantially afraid of his own darkness, had rebelled against it. Still, he remembered his Captain’s words.

_You are your weakest a birth, a babe without the knowledge to survive, a voice to yell, strength to walk, and veritable oneness with your own soul. On the verge of death, you are your strongest. Everything locks into place. Everything makes sense._

_Sometimes it is better to die, so that you may live._

Kylo fought against the pressure against his chest, his instinct telling him to inhale, his body screaming at him to swim up. Instead, he welcomes the darkness of near unconsciousness, cleared his mind of anything and everything but her and focused.

Rey.

Rey.

_Rey_.

—_ Arasuuml—greed—I don’t want to die—_

Her voice was in his head—he could hear her. Then he wasn’t just hearing her but feeling her, the tendrils of her own power, her own desperation to live, reaching out for—not just anything. But for him.

Out of the darkness, Kylo Ren spotted Rey’s light, like a beacon and he sank further into the depths, following the song of her soul, the cries of her energy, dwindling, dwindling dwindling…

There! He swam hell for high water, praying the Force would keep him awake long enough to save her. Rey was unconscious, but her hand was still outstretched, reaching, reaching—

_I got you._

The Force hummed all around them, and he knew it aided him in his wretched race to get back to the surface. Two codes twirled and eddied around him and Rey— one of light and one of dark.

Peace is a lie, there is only passion.

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

Through passion, I gain strength.

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

Through strength, I gain power.

_There is no passion, there is serenity._

Through power, I gain victory.

_There is no chaos, there is harmony._

Through victory, my chains are broken.

_There is no death, there is the Force_

The Force shall free me.

He broke the surface just as the edges of his vision began to go dark with unconsciousness. Ren’s lungs burned and with a feeble, frantic whimper, he inhaled as much air as his lungs would hold. Rey’s body bobbed in the water alongside of his, but she did not open her mouth, she did not inhale, her chest did not move. Frenetically, he surveyed the open sea around him, praying that The Supremacy and those aboard had left them for dead. Precious air seeped through his lips as the sizeable craft drifted back towards Takodana’s port, half a league away.

Snoke would eventually realize that Kylo survived—when he reached for Kylo’s presence in the Force and found it still vibrant. Rey as well. Yet, that did not matter. He would never let this ever happen again.

Snoke would die. He’d all but guaranteed it.

That was secondary. Because Snoke’s death was promised for the future. If Rey died today, it would come much, much sooner.

The one thing Kylo Ren thank the stars above for was his tenure as a pirate. He was a powerfully strong swimmer, and water was like a second home to him. In the distance, were the basalt column sea bluff that almost cut Takodana’s port in half. He was running out of time, so he turned them both on their backs and kicked his way through the water.

On the other side of the promontory, a cave sunk deep into the side of the basalt, and a wave eroded diamond shaped hole in the center of green and blue bluff beckoned him to safety. Sighing with relief, he swam for it, stroking for all he was worth. Slabs of indigo and magenta moss-covered rocks greeted him at the opening, with a few of them clustered together to form a flat.

His strength was fading, but he forced enough of it into his legs and arms to carry her out of the water, laying her down, gently. The rope was next, and he sawed through it, the awkward pull giving way and easing the tension across her chest. He rolled her to her side, and began pounding against her back, praying that the water she inhaled would come up.

It didn’t. Stars, she was still not breathing.

He turned her onto her back, trying to remember everything Azer Ren had taught him about saving a drowned person. Forcing the knot in his throat down, ignoring the fresh sting of tears, calming the fear in his chest, he placed his palm over her breastbone and began to push, one pump for every one of his breaths. He tilted her mouth back and blew into hers, her chest rising, then falling. Then he resumed.

_His uncle’s voice began to whisper in the back of his head. Let go of your fear, the chaos, and let harmony find you. Do not panic._ _Do not doubt yourself._

She wasn’t breathing. Fuck not panicking!

And so he did—he began to panic, his ministrations becoming frantic in light of his dread. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t. He couldn’t. He couldn’t. He screamed her name, prayed to her as if she were a deity, cursed whatever spirit was trying to take her away.

Please, please, _please_.

Then.

Then—Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi of Stejewon turned her head, coughed up the water, inhaling the largest breath of her life.

His eyes fluttered closed as she curled onto her side, panting as her body tried to take in as much oxygen as possible. Kylo Ren gently lifted her head from the hard, unforgiving rock and laid it in the cradle of his lap, pushing slick strands of hair out of her eyes as she regained stasis over her body.

“Hey, Ben…” she croaked, looking up at him like he was the sun and she was a flower. “You actually managed to not let me die. Well done.”

Kylo didn’t know which one was more embarrassing, the loud shuddering exhale he released or how quickly he had to turn his head so she didn’t see the tears curving down his cheeks.

“Oh, now you want to joke?” he tried once he’d regained his composure. “You scared me to _death_, Rey.”

Some of her fear tinctured humor subsided as she lifted a shaky hand to his cheek, brushing her tears away. “I’m okay, Ben,” she said, searching his face. “I’m…here.”

“I can’t lose you,” he blubbered, incanted over her form. “Please, don’t ever leave me.”

The look that fell across her face was ripe with shock and disbelief, but he ignored that in favor of resting his forehead against hers in simple appreciation that she was breathing and living and not at the bottom of the Silver Sea, tied to a fate that didn’t belong to her.

“You don’t mean that.”

He didn’t mean that. He _knew_ it, instinctively. He’d known—in the light of death, the darkness of life, he’d finally faced a foe that would bring him to his knees. An enemy he could only fight in despair, one whose bony hands had reached and grabbed and seized Rey, prying him from her, and dragging her down...down...

He knew that he would go to the ends of the world for this woman, traverse the depths of whatever hell, and barrage the gates of whatever heaven. That he would he snatch her from death’s hand time and time again if he had to. That he would lay down his own for her sake.

He knew that she was no ordinary woman and that whatever emotion he couldn’t quite wrap his head around—the one that felt like guilt—was nothing but pure adoration for everything that she was and a fierce protectiveness of everything she meant to him.

In the background, Rey was repeating her statement, the same glassy vacancy in her voice he’d seen in her eyes just this morning—You don’t mean that—over and over again. Kylo was in awe of how stubborn and oblivious she could be right now, when he knew everything, _everything _reflected true in his eyes.

His thumb caressed her cheek and he drew closer, as if he could transfer his warmth, his life energy to her, rehabilitate vitality into her.

Through passion, I gain strength.

_Through strength, I gain power._

_ ....there is peace._

He felt peace. Absolute peace. “Don’t tell me what I mean,” he murmured, closing the space between them with a gentle growl, mitigating the chasm that had kept them apart.

The taste of her lips—brine sharp and honey sweet…

Her soft moan—he swallowed it, sweeping into her mouth, deepening his kiss like it was an anchor, to keep her near. He lingered in the peace her lingering warmth as if it was the only thing keeping him alive…

The smell of her—the sea, and the effervescent fragrance of her power….

The way she said his name —his true name.

He knew.

He knew this kiss.


	7. Strange Eyes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rey sleeps; Kylo schemes.

Striated shafts of sunlight stream in from the cabin windows, draping the room in whorls of shadows and pockets of light, both dancing around each other. The delicate scene to lavender and jasmine lingered in wafts of smoke from an incense burner, a change from the usual piquant aroma of brine and seaweed and sometimes unwashed crewmen.

Normally the cabin was drafty, its position a blunt force against the ever-fluctuating gust and currents as The Finalizer curved through the waters of the Silver Sea. Even though they were docked, he had ordered a smokeless brazier brought in and hot stones placed under the mattress.

He didn’t want the bed’s current occupant to be cold.

Kylo Ren sat on the edge of a large velvet lined sitting chair, a gift from the revolving Nightsister of Dathomir, this one from Asajj Ventress’s granddaughter, Shee’lani. She’d explained to him it was a betrothal gift after he’d accepted it on board. Both confused and scared out of his mind, he now avoided Dothamir at all cost.

He leaned back into the chair, humming old love songs he’d heard from his mother when she thought no one was listening. Songs about love, and forever, loyalty and what kismet looks like dissected, up close and personal. Honestly, he knew he looked ridiculous and useless, staring at his prize, his gift, as she peacefully dozed, but Kylo Ren did not care.

Her face was soft in her slumber, like every stress, every worry, every lie she’d ever told had receded into the shadow of her mind, where nothing but light could touch her. He’d seen her asleep before, of course. They’d spent days in the muck but there was something enchanting about _where_ she was sleeping.

_Sitting next to you is like taking a sip of eternity..._ _The Sun... the stars ...the sky never tasted so good..._

The door opened, a sharp yank with purpose, and considering who entered, and there constant of doing, he wasn’t surprised when Naha Fey appeared, her mouth parted open in the appearance of telling him something—probably something important. She paused at the threshold, taking one sad, pity filled look at him. Without a word—thank the stars—she spun on her heels and left the same way she came in—sharply—muttering something about “stupid, lovesick puppy eyes.”

Fine. She could say what she wanted. But he wasn’t not going to move until Rey was awake. He may never, ever, stop looking like this either. These “stupid, lovesick puppy eyes.”

They’d moved her to his cabin on the Finalizer as he’d instructed, _demanded_, feeling more grounded on his ship than he ever did on land or another ship. Considering his wild spin side adventure had ended mostly in an unmitigated surrender of his control, having the law of the Finalizer under his grip again served a greater reminder of what he’d almost lost. It was a funny, humbling thing—being helpless.

And by funny, he meant not funny.

The days while Rey slept had been…eventful.

In the cove, with the waves lapping at his feet, diaphanous layers of colorful moss surrounding him, and the warmth of a soft woman in his arms, Kylo Ren had discovered something.

Discovered…wasn’t the best choice of words, unless a breakthrough slapping you across the face counted as a discovery. And even without that, discovery wasn’t even the _correct_ word, because he had no proof.

Kylo ren planned on getting his proof.

But right now, right here, there was no room for such thoughts. His attention was best served on the minx in his lap, moaning softly as the recipient of his kiss. His chest was tight, and warm, and full, and his heart was absolutely soaring. Kylo considered himself talented, educated in the ways of pleasing a woman—the Nightsisters kept proposing for a reason—but Rey? She was completely lost in the throes of the kiss, her body supine and willing as he pressed closer, licked deeper into her mouth, savored everything about her.

Stars, he could kiss her like this for the rest of his life. He didn’t even need to breath or eat—this alone could sustain him.

Time stretched in the cave, soft, and sweet, and Kylo considered an array of substantially unwise things—moving her, taking this somewhere else, swimming ashore so he could find the first bed, first soft surface and love her exactly how she deserved. He thought and thought and—

He slowly untangled his hand from her hair. That…was she snoring?

Pulling back to look at her, he realized the only throes she’d been lost in were the welcoming hands of sleep. _Amazing. Fucking amazing_. He frowned, his hands dropping from her face as she snuggled deeper into his lap like it was two meaty pillows. His ire melted almost immediately.

She had almost drowned. Exhaustion made perfect sense.

Waves still lapped at their feet, and Rey’s snores joined in a gentle cacophony of sound, heightened by the cave’s acoustics. Sighing, he pushed her sodden hair back from her face and rubbed her bare arms while he considered their predicament. It was better she had fallen asleep, either way. It gave him a chance to enact the third act of their escape.

He was lucky they got to a third act.

Ben Solo was raised by a politician, a hell of a pilot, and a monk—three professions that carefully curated planning as an ethos. Kylo Ren was trained by Yeesini Ren himself and learned that becoming a Darksider was never about luck—it was about knowing what you wanted and knowing how to achieve that. As a Captain, he’d learned about patience—it could take days, months, years to finally win a sought off treasure.

So, Kylo was never one to go into a battle unarmed

In the half day ride from Takodana to Starkiller port many things happened, most at the behest of a rather eager trio—Matt, Emmie, and Maz.

The first of many things they’d hatched, bumping heads and arguing the entire way, had been Matt stopping in _Felucia_ to commission a delivery by raven.

By Kylo Ren’s calculations, Naha Fey should be off the coast of Lah’mu by now and would hopefully receive his missive in time. Lah’mu was only some twenty to thirty leagues from where they were and if Matt’s connections came through, they’d all be on a trader’s cog named Ghost by morning’s light, sailing for the port—a midpoint between Canto Bight and Starkiller.

Now, however spontaneous their plan was, an escape in that fashion depended on Rey and Kylo Ren actually surviving. As Kylo Ren approached Snoke’s ship, Matt rode as far as the edge of the forest surrounding Takodana, making good use of the foliage by wearing pieces of it and blending in with the trees. From there, Matt would surveil the entire ordeal using a small telescope; a most prized possession he said he’d won off Phasma in one of the First Order’s many but very useless visits to Takodana. Irony was afoot.

There were three scenarios, Kylo ren could think of, all of them progressively worse. One, Snoke would be an honorable man, release Rey in exchange for the book and they’d be on their way, alive and in one piece.

Problem was Snoke couldn’t hit the broad side of an honorable barn, let alone embrace the definition of integrity.

Two, Snoke would not be an honorable man—surprise!—and he and Rey would find themselves at the end of a sword. This was the more reasonable conclusion, and no amount of planning could circumvent that. And there would be no cavalry to come assist him, no hero swooping in to save them. At the very least, Matt could run back to Takodana, alert his crew, and at least tell them what happened. They’d hold a memorial, of course. If Naha Rey wrote it, it would read:

Here lies Kylo Ren, stupid but brave, and Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi, beautiful, stubborn and unfortunate, forever entwined in their combined foolishness.

Three was a wild card—one where he had no idea how Snoke would act. In this scenario, he’d planned on tossing Rey overboard and diving after her. High failure rate as well, but maybe then they’d have shit chance in hell of surviving. If not, this memorial tablet, probably composed by Azer would read:

Forever lost to the sea, Kylo Ren, waterlogged and blue, and his Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi, bloated and brined, together, but very dead. And very stupid.

To his credit, he had been close to right—except Rey had almost drowned.

After dragging both of them to safety, he’d only latently remembered Matt _existed_ when a tiny rowboat—most likely stolen—coasted up to the cove’s entrance.

“Hey! That was a close one, huh? Anyways, Maz has your horses—not like you could ride one anyways, and she’ll get them back to…” he looked over Kylo’s shoulder. “Is she…alive?”

“We both are.” Kylo let himself fall back, his face turned towards the ceiling, and sighed.

And that was that.

Matt—who was becoming less stupid by the minute—had brought clothes for them, Kylo's lightsaber, and dry kindle to start a fire, since they would be spending the night in the cove, out of sight. Kylo had suggested going fishing, but Matt, good old Matt, produced a large skin of water and some salt beef and bread pudding.

From there, the three of them took a shift. Emmie stayed on the coast, looking out to see if Snoke would double back, while Kylo and Matt took turns watching over their sleeping ward. Luckily, after a few hours, the color had returned to her face in full, and she’d finally started breathing without hacking up a lung and more seawater. To help her sleep the enervation off, Matt offered up some of his personal sleepwine, a recipe that guaranteed she would sleep through the night.

“Or…a couple of nights,” he’d said after pouring some into Rey’s mouth.

The guilt he probably should have felt for forcing her to sleep was not there—if she hadn’t been so damn stubborn and gotten some sleep the night before, maybe but she had, so there. she needed all the rest she could get. Her eyes blinked rapidly under her lips, but there was a content smile on her face, so he’d wrapped her in a bundle of cotton and wool while Matt started a fire, glad she couldn’t deny herself rest any longer.

He forwent rest himself instead keeping a vigilant watch over her, and after the third rotation between he and Matt, had told the man to just go to sleep. It was for good reason. When he closed his eyes, he saw images of her falling and sinking and the deep, dark maw of blue water and—no. So, he watched her, because he needed to, because he could, because she was there.

Because he was in love with her.

_Stars_.

Could he be sure it was love? Yes. Absolutely.

He’d seen innocent people die. There had been occasions he had been the cause of their deaths. There had been times when he had been their messenger of death.

Remorse. Guilt. Helplessness that he could not stop carving a path to power, even if he wanted to. Sometimes, even sorry.

Yet, he’d never been scared. He’d never felt like _he_ would die the moment they would.

He loved her.

Not Rose. Her.

How he’d wasted so much time pining over a woman a world away, one who would never be able to accept his love completely when Rey was right here.

Although….

While the fire licked shadows across the cavern wall, Kylo raised a hand to her face, out of curiosity, his fingers covering everything but her eyes.

When he was with Rose, he remembered the most remarkable thing about her were her eyes. How they’d danced and sparkled and laughed like emerald’s, light—his light—refracting off hers. How they’d darkened with desire like jade cabochons, reflecting back what he’d felt for her. Rey’s eyes were green, too, almost alive, windows to her soul.

“Who are you, Adorae?”

Like she’d heard him, and like she would very much like to keep that a secret, Rey grunted and then rolled over.

Kylo dropped his hands, frowning. He sagged against the magenta rock face concealing the cove and tried to count the hours to sunlight.

The crew of Ghost was comprised of drifters—a collection of different Chandrilian hometowns and settlements all lumped onto the deck of the of one ship.

Kylo Ren and Matt selected a meager crew’s cabin for far more coins than it was worth. They didn’t need to be up deck. They didn’t need to be seen. The Captain, Hera Syndulla, an elderly woman who still looked like she kick anyone’s ass, had offered to let Rey rest in her cabin for the day’s ride from Starkiller to Lah’mu, but Kylo Ren decline.

He wasn’t letting her out of his eyesight for even a second.

Rey had mumbled at this, rousing in her sleep, just long enough for them to get some water into her, but after a few swallows, she was back sleep, slumped over Kylo Ren’s back, humming in his ear like they were on a lovely picnic, and not that they were bartering passage on a ship hours after escaping death.

“Aye, you think she’s ever going to wake up? She’s missing the accommodations of a lifetime,” Matt muttered, running a finger across the table pushed under a cabin window. “I don’t think it’s healthy to stay asleep for that long.”

Kylo Ren looked behind him at her sleeping figure, now safe and tucked away under the stale, stiff sheets they had managed to find for her. “I’ve never drowned before, so I don’t know what’s right or wrong. Just let her sleep it off. She’s smiling and that’s a good sign, right?”

“The smiling is a funny thing, don’t you think?” Matt said, peering down at her. “I wonder what’s got her face all screwy like that. It’s got to be a lover—no woman smiles in her sleep like that about food and adventure. Some lucky sots got her cheeks all…cheeky like that, don’t you say?”

Kylo Ren railed against the suggestion almost immediately, his entire body going stiff in reproach. Irritated, he almost opened his mouth and _almost_ corrected Matt. Of course, she was smiling because of him. Kylo had been the last thing she’d seen before she sunk into the arms of unconsciousness. What else could it be?

But…

Rey hadn’t mentioned anyone at home. To be fair, she hadn’t mentioned a lot of things. But just because he wasn’t sure about her identity, what she did for a living, who she actually was, didn’t mean that excluded her from secrets. Shit, she was the _queen_ of secrets.

Could he be wrong?

Was he wrong?

What if Rey was not who he thought she was? What if Rey was hurrying to Theed so she could return to someone el—no. No. He was not going to drive himself crazy with her hypothetical lovers and theoretical suitors.

Poor clueless Kylo Ren, huh? Well, not for long.

“Matt, you’re a smart enough idiot.”

There was a growl and Kylo, lazily tilted to one side as Matt’s scabbard flew towards his head. When it banged against the wall, he offered the yellow haired man an easy, unbothered grin. “How much do you know about courtesans?”

Matt’s indignation thawed, his scowl morphing into a proud grin. “Do you mean how much do I know about courtesans…” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively and a deep line formed between Kylo Ren’s brow. “Or how much do I _know_ about courtesans? Well, if you should know, before pledging my life and love to Emmie, I was quite…notorious for my presence on a pleasure barge or two. I know them and they know me.” He plopped down in a chair and propped his feet up on the table. “Why do you ask?”

“You do?” he asked, leaning forward, eager written all over his face. Maybe Matt was still worth something. “What do you know about Keshla?”

Matt’s smiled withered and in reaction, Kylo’s smile dissipated. “Who in the fifteen hells do you think I am? You?” he squawked. That reminded him of a monkey lizard and monkey lizards reminded him of Rey and—

“I’d have to sell every single thing to my name to be able to afford myself between any of those ladies’ legs. Especially that Rose.” Matt sighed. “Oh, the lovely Rose.” He leaned towards Kylo. “I heard her cunt was lined with gold. If I were not taken, I would—"

Kylo Ren held up a hand to stop him. He was uncomfortable with how Matt was describing her. Which was hypocritical, because he’d heard worse before this…discovery. “So, you’ve never seen her?”

Matt offered him a look that suggested he thought _Ren_ was the idiot here. “Nobody has seen her—that’s the point, moron.” He snorted, crossed his arms across his chest.

“She has a face. _Someone_ has seen it before.”

Through the crack of their door they heard a feminine. “Yes. Someone has.”

Both men swung their heads towards the door. Kylo’s hand landed on the lightsaber hidden in the folds of his clothing—Matt never quite told him what happened to Lightvanquisher—and edged closer to the door. He was quite tired of people talking to him from the other side of doors.

He yelped when he snatched the door open, a woman falling into their cabin as if she’d been leaning on it the entire time. Quickly, she pushed herself to her feet, dusting off her clothing and trying to regain whatever swagger she’d lost.

Ren took a step towards her, eyes narrowed, voice low. “Anyone ever tell you it was dangerous to eavesdrop on a conversation? Quickest way to get your tongue snatched out of your mouth. Can’t repeat a story without a tongue.”

She snorted. “Can’t cut a tongue out if you pass out from poisoning, now can you?”

Kylo paused, not quite sure if he heard her correctly. “What—poisoning?” Impossible. He hadn’t drank anything since he’d gotten here, nor eaten anything. Hadn’t been injured by a poisoned dagger or sword. No one had even touched him. “You’re lying.”

“I could be. Or I could be telling you the truth.” She nodded towards his arm. “You could always check.”

Kylo did so immediately and inhaled sharply. The back of his hand mottled with red smears, sickly looking against his pale skin. “What did you do to me?” He didn’t give her a chance to answer. He lunged at her and had his dagger at her throat before she could inhale her next breath.

She glanced down at the dagger, then at him. She had a pair of striking dark eyes that danced with part humor, part shrewdness. Dark, purplish hair was pinned up high in a topknot and glancing down at her clothes, he could tell she wasn’t too eager to flaunt around the fact that she was a woman.

“What did I do to you,” she parroted, her lips sliding into a smile. While holding his gaze, she ran her thumb across her tongue.

Kylo pressed further, not sure if what she was doing was another trick, another poison, but she simply wiped her thumb across the hand holding the blade and the—

“Dye.” She shrugged. “You’re different. Paranoid, but different. Most people would have given anything for the antidote, credits, jewels, land titles, mainly, but you would kill your poisoner before you got cure. Bright.”

The dagger was lifted from her neck and Kylo took a step back, trying hard to remember every breathing exercise his uncle taught him, so he didn’t slit her throat on principal. “Was that all you wanted? Some damn credits?” he growled.

“That’d be nice but no. Rose. I know her. Wasn’t lying about that.”

“Really, now…”

He spun on his heel and pushed Matt, now leaning on the back two legs of the chair and looking between the two of them, amused. The chair tumbled backwards, and Matt spilled across the floor like a smashed bottle of Chandrilian rum.

Rolling his eyes, Kylo snatched up the now empty seat up and slammed it back on the ground in front of the interloper.

“Sit,” he snarled, forcing her into the chair. “First things first—what’s your name, kid?”

“Wow. Kid.” She glanced up at him. “The name is Paige.” She jutted her chin towards his. “Now, what’s yours?”

“None of your damn business. Why were you listening in on our conversation?”

She chuckled and Kylo squeezed the soft muscles running from her shoulder to her neck. “This is funny to you?”

Even through her wince, the woman kept her smirk. “Not funny exactly but can I ask—what’s up your ass? I was walking by, minding my business—you’d be proud—when I heard you say my sister’s name. Not too many Roses running around Chandrila. My mother was uninspired, she says. I happen to think it’s a beautiful name.”

“Sister?” Kylo put his finger under her chin and tipped her head back. This woman looked _nothing_ like Rey. They both tall and slight but no—Kylo did not find any other resemblance. Rey’s eyes were sharp and a bewitching hazel green, this woman’s eyes were angular and as mysterious as the starless night. Rey’s jaw was angular, Paige’s, not so much. “She’s your sister?” he said, trying to keep the disbelief out of his voice.

“That’s what I said, isn’t it?”

“Why should I believe you?” Kylo Ren hissed, getting in her face and peering deeper into her eyes like the truth could be found there.

Paige frowned. “Is this normal? The reeking paranoia? Or are you just crazy?” She scoffed, tilted her head back and away from him. “Why would I lie about that?”

“I don’t believe in coincidences.”

“Sure. Whatever. I don’t have all day trying to convince a madman of my blood relations. Have a good day, sir.” She jostled her shoulder and Kylo instinctively let go. Paige stood, gave him one last withering look before she turned towards the door.

“Wait.” Kylo sighed and sat down in the seat she’d abandoned. “I…please.” He rubbed his eyes. It had been a long, long day. “Please, just tell me what you know.”

“Ah.” Paige spun towards him slowly, her eyes narrowed, the look on her face calculating. “I know your type. Always looking for an easy way to seduce her. A shortcut to getting her to lower her veil.” She snorted. “I could tell you everything about her and you still would be no closer.”

“Then,” he snapped, “why don’t you just tell me everything about her and stop wasting my time.” He leaned forward, glaring. “I asked nicely. The next time I will not be so benevolent.”

Paige rolled her eyes, crossed her arms over her chest, and leaned back against the wall. “Favorite color? Pink, obviously. Her favorite gift? Expensive. Jewelry? Pearls. Food? Anything exotic and sweet. She hates waking up early. One time I tried it when we were young, and she almost clawed my eyes out. Damn, hellcat, she is. If she is bored, she’ll recite poems, but she absolutely hates reading anything longer than a few paragraphs. Considering her education, she should—"

“No, wait.” Now Kylo Ren was staring at her—not out of animosity or frustration but…

“Say that again.”

“Say what again?”

Kylo remained still for a moment before simply confirming. “Your sister doesn’t like to read.”

Matt, nor Paige, would know that the Rose _he knew_ was a lover of literature, and if she’d heard someone utter such nonsense about her disliking books, she’d have them drawn and quartered in a heartbeat.

_“I like reading. I was forced mostly, to learn how to write as a child but I never enjoyed it until I stumbled across this book. One Thousand and One Nights. It wasn’t in Basic, so at first, I had to entertain myself with the pictures…”_

Kylo Ren started to close in on the whisper thin theory echoing in the back of his mind. Every small similarity, every gut buzzing feeling, every wisp of remembrance was there, _right there_, creating a mess of his head.

“Not particularly,” Paige answered, staring at him strangely. “Father used to force us to read, _ad nauseam_. Our mother, she read all the time, and Father picked up the habit, so by the time we were born, they were born again bibliophiles. When the man she was promised to, some Darksider Lord by the name of Momin, asked my father how to gift her, he suggested a library. Rose hated that. Then…” Paige’s forehead puckered in distress at a thought “…things didn’t turn out quite the way they were supposed to…you know with murder and all,” she muttered. “So, now, she despises books. So, Mr. No Name. Get her lots of jewelry. No books.”

“You’re just going to pretend we didn’t hear you say “murder”?” Matt said from the floor, seeming to have come to peace with his place on the floor.

Paige’s eyes narrowed and she took another long accessing gaze, studying the two men before her. The suspicion had returned and Kylo didn’t know if that was a good or a bad thing. “Before I say another word, I need you to promise me that you are not here to harm her.”

Kylo recoiled a bit. “Harm her? Why would anyone want to harm her?”

“For a lot of reasons.” She jutted her chin out towards Kylo. “I’m not force sensitive, but I can sniff out a darksider. After Momin, I forced myself to recognize the signs. Are you,” and she took one menacing step towards them, “looking to hurt my sister?”

“You’re right. I am a darksider.” Kylo stood and Paige retreated to the wall. “But I mean your sister no harm.” He slid the kyber crystal from around his neck, holding it up to her. “This—well it isn’t the source of my powers, but it signifies it and I’ve had since I was a young man. I offer it to you to—”

Paige waved a hand. “I don’t want your tainted crystal.” She inhaled, and released it, as if she’d made her decision. “The reason Rose wears a veil is—wait. No. Here. Let’s start here. We are from Hay’s Minor; small city that had caught the eye of the First Order. Lord Momin, the man who’d won her hand, dabbled in slave trade for them. Nasty business. He was intertwined with the Hutts, Plutt, Thalassian slavers, Zygerrian Slavers Guild. Even the Karazak Slavers Cooperative. I tried to convince my father but he…. he hadn’t been the same since Mother’s death and I was the only one who could see the danger Rose was in.”

Ren never liked slavers—his grandfather and great-grandmother were slaves. He’d learned to ignore it, the trade, even after it had been outlawed and continued to exist in the underbelly of Chandrilian society. There was only so much he could do, other than his ritual execution of them when he ran across one.

Then a thought struck him. “Is…Poe—was she enslaved, and Poe bought—"

“No,” she said, voice indignant. “The night they were supposed to begin their courtship, Momin—he...” She paused and scrubbed her face. Whatever it was, it was so traumatic that it exhausted her to retell it. “He tried to…force himself on Rose. Tell me. Have you ever seen Rose angry?” she whispered.

Kylo lowered his head. “No, I have not,” he stated solemnly.

“She ran him through with Mother’s dowry sword. Seventeen times. Then she gelded him clean and fed his cock to the pigs.”

He glanced back at Rey because that _was_ something Rey would do.

“He deserved it, deserved every bit of it, and we all agreed. The whole town, did. But—but Lord Momin _survived_ and The Warden, spiteful, wicked man, took one look at the mangled remains of his manhood and—” Paige’s jaw clenched. “Rose has been on the run ever since. I delivered her into the arms of Poe. Who has been keeping her safe,” she said, eyeing him. “Not keeping her enslaved.”

Kylo Ren sat back in the chair, absorbing. If he was wrong about his theory, then knowing this information about Rose would be helpful. “Are people still looking for her?”

“Hard to tell. Father tore down all the portraits of her—to help Hays Minor forget. I’m the only person who has a portrait of her. So,” she said, glancing between him and Matt, an earnest, desperate look in her eyes. “I really hope you were telling the truth about not wanting to harm her. Or not bounty hunters.”

“No, Paige. I swear it. I’m—” he paused to clear his throat. “I’m actually your sister’s beau, in a sense. Honest, I put my hand to the Scribes of the House of Light. I even had some letters I could have used as proof, but uh, I sort of…lost em.” He then gave a very brief summary of his visit to Keshla. Very brief. Very.

“Well…” she said.

“The real reason I’m so interested in this information is that I’m trying to prove something. You see that beautiful young lady there?” He thumbed to Rey’s snoring form, who was ungracefully sprawled across the mattress, her hair, a rooster’s nest, her mouth open and a line of drool crowning at the corner of her mouth.

Paige grimaced in disgust. “Yeah?”

“She’s got a problem that she needs me to solve. She just doesn’t know it yet and you might be able to help.”

“Who is she?”

“Well, she _told_ me her name was Rey and stars be good, I have no idea if that’s true…”

Paige laughed. “That’s funny! I know of a Rey. _Lady_ Adorae is what Rose says when she writes. She works for my sister as a negotiator on Keshla. Wouldn’t recognize her but does she speak with a Coruscanti accent? Rose wrote me saying how she was having trouble adopting one.”

Ren laughed, because the only thing he could do was laugh. Rey worked for Keshla. _The Queen of Lies_. Rose practiced mimicking Rey’s accent. _The fucking Queen of Lies_.

“Paige,” he tried, wanting to get this over with. “I can help your sister. I can help establish her innocence; I have more connections than you can possibly ever imagine. But I need you to help me first.”

Paige looked wary, but he would convince her. Kylo Ren was going to help Rose out, regardless of her identity, because apparently, having an _extra_ identity in your back pocket was a trend among Alonian women.

“If I asked you, very nicely, to show me what your sister looks like, would you do it?”

Paige chewed her lip in contemplation but soon enough she was tugging a leather necklace from inside of her faded shirt. At the end was a Haysian ore medallion with a locket in the center.

Kylo Ren inched closer as she unsnapped the locket from the medallion and held it in the palm of her hands, before thumbing at the clasp and easing it open.

Ren peered down at it and the two small painting affixed to each side of the locket. One was of an older man, and presumably what appeared to be a younger Paige at her side. The smirk, the deviousness was still in her eyes, even as a younger woman. The picture across from it was an older woman, tall and slender like Paige was. Next to her was a young teenage girl, a square jaw, big adorable cheeks, and long braided hair that trailed over her shoulder.

“That’s Rose.” Paige pointed to the young teenage girl with the infectious smile. “Lady Rose Tico of Otomok.”

Kylo Ren exhaled a long, shuddering breath.

He’d never seen those eyes in his life.


	8. Saarai - Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One step forward, one step back, one step forward, back, forward, back, forward....standing still.

He should be angry, right? Anger was an appropriate response. If he thought about the scheming, the lying by omission, the skillful skirting around the truth—then yes, anger was categorically, unconditionally correct.

Good. It was settled. He was going to be angry.

Wait.

No. She’d never come out and actually said anything false about herself. As a matter of fact, she’d been exceedingly open with him, sharing her pains and traumas with him and in turn hearing his out with a gentleness he did not deserve. Not after breaking his parents’ heart. Not when that same heartbreak triggered his father’s death. Not when he had withheld this from her, too ashamed, too angry, too...

No. She’d been mostly honest. So—maybe she really didn’t have any family left. Maybe she was a lady and sole inheritor of land in Stejewon—he’d help her reclaim that soon enough. Maybe she had been held captive on a slave country. Maybe she didn’t have a favorite color.

Maybe she could play every starblasted board game this side of Chandrila.

No. He’d paid _good_ money to spend his nights with Rose. He’d crossed half of the Silver Sea to spend a night with Rose. He turned his life upside down for a meeting with Rose. So, why hadn’t he spent the night with Rose?

Kylo Ren’s hands clenched at his side, his nails digging into his palms. A mistake. The dark inside of him fed on pain, jaws snapping at every little morsel it could find. And he needed his head to be clear!

No_. Tash. Nwûl tash._ _Qorit tash! _The darkness in him hissed. _Liar. Peace is a lie. End the lies._

Ren forced himself to breathe in, hold it, and then exhale but it was to no avail—the very thought of rage swirled around him, nipping at his ankles. It hadn’t quite settled yet but it could, it would, given the chance.

Kylo Ren had been blindsided. He’d had his expectations—waton, feral, unmitigated lust. Every one of his fantasies, the ones that kept him thinking of Bazine and her betrayal and the fact that deep down he—

No. It was nothing like he’d imagined, and it was everything that he needed. It had been quiet and thoughtful. She had been quiet and thoughtful. Kind. He hadn’t experienced kindness, not in a long time. People respected him, loved him, honored him, but their loyalty was rarely soft, considerate, a temper to his wildness. An equal to his madness.

But she had. And she _was_.

Yes. This feeling? It was anger. Kylo Ren _was_ angry.

At her! For making him feel like this. His fingers dug into his hair as if it was the only thing keeping his head attached to his shoulders. Did she get pleasure out of watching him fall all over himself while she hid the truth behind those stupid pretty lips? Bet that’s what that stupid shit eating grin was about. How big of a fool he was.

“I am a creature of danger, ser.”

“Fuck!” He kicked over a pail of soapy water, ignoring the scrub boy’s exasperated complaint.

He let go of his hair before he actually ripped some of it out. He was so stupid. A goddamn moron! How did they even let him anywhere near leadership?

Rey had practically thrown clues in his face, and he—he was biggest, fucking idiot.

He should slap himself for being so dim witted.

Then…then…

Kylo Ren smiled. The darkness didn’t recede, but wrapped around him, a serpent no longer hungry, but curious. Hopeful. Territorial.

_Nwûl?_

Yes.

_Nuyak, Rey?_

Yes. **Mine**.

_Asha._

Asha. Yes. Victory.

His eyes fluttered closed when the darkness tucked itself away, The Force satisfied with his decision.There were only two women who would have the answers. One of them had stirred his soul in a wondrous way. The feeling sunk its fangs into the very essence of him, and he surrendered. The Force hummed and he turned back towards the stairs that would lead him to the cabin.

He would learn the truth.

Too bad for her, he just had a _peculiar_ way of discerning verity.

_Naughty, naughty, Rey. _

The day’s trip to Lah’mu was uneventful. Matt went up deck to talk—harass—some of the crewmen while Kylo bided his time, watching over Rey, wiping her mouth, and rearranging her in the bed when he thought he thought she looked uncomfortable. He had developed an inexorable habit of putting his finger under nose to make sure she was still breathing.

After a few hours had passed, Matt came below to let him know they’d arrived. As they approached the harbor, Kylo Ren let out a giddy shout as his red sails came into sight, Matt glancing at him like he was insane. Naha Fey stood at the stern; her arms crossed and her expression stoic while Kylo acted like a complete four year old when they dropped the plank between the ships, practically _skipping_ across the length of it. He tackled Naha Fey the moment she opened her mouth to greet him. When she hit the deck with an _oof_, she shoved him off of him, scowling.

“Miss us?”

Kylo gave her a mock pout. “Terribly.

She sighed like a weary mother rather than the First Mate of a fearsome pirate ship. “I guess I know who won’t decide to go wandering off all by himself anytime soon.” She rose to her feet, helping him as she did, only to punch his chest. Kylo postured about like she’d gravely wounded him, a hand to his chest. As always, Naha gave him her ass to kiss. “I hope you didn’t get yourself into too much trouble.”

“Well…um, yeah. You know me.” Kylo cleared his throat, and took an inordinate amount of time pretending to dust off his pants. “Not too much trouble, I—er. To be honest I _did _almost light a horse on fire.”

Naha Ren looked over his shoulder, nodding at a crewmen behind Kylo, but urged him to continue with a nod.

“And then—uh—there was the riot in Takodana, but that wasn’t such a big deal, at least to the townspeople. _Totally_ not my fault.”

“Just like the riot in you didn’t cause in Polis Massa?” she said, a wry grin stretched across her lips.

“No, no. Nothing like the riot in Polis Massa. That man disparaged my grandmother! He deserved to be hung over that balcony all night long!”

Naha Fey continued ingesting the story with a bored look, as if not too surprised with her Captain’s antics. “Is that so…”

As they talked, a few of Kylo Ren’s crew men were following his instructions by moving Rey from Ghost to the Finalizer. The little spinner of yarns had cracked open an eye long enough to lethargically munch on an apple before deciding sleep was better than food and promptly falling back under, the core still hanging from her mouth.

Naha Fey took a look, then doubled back when she finally noticed what they were hauling aboard. Kylo laughed, although weakly, scratching his neck as the makeshift cot sauntered past them. “And—uh—then I—uh— got a woman kidnapped and she almost _died_, Naha. “What?”

“AndnowIhaveherwithmeshesgoingtoberidingwithusbacktoChandrilasoIhopeyoudontmindacivilianonboardHEYthemorethemerrieryouknow. Man!” He promptly began walking away from her with a big, fat stupid fake smile “Am I beat! I’m going to—”

“By all the stars, Solo! You get back here!”

He did pause, backtracking until he was back at her side. When she opened her mouth, probably to waylay him with a hundred questions, he raised a finger. “Hey Naha. Can you do me a favor?”

“Oh, _now _you want to ask me?” She snorted.

“When this woman wakes up, pretend you know her. She met you in a library, she says. It’s a lie of course but feel like fucking with her a bit.”

Naha Fey Ren’s nod slowed. Her eyes narrowed. Her head tilted to the side. “Lie...”

Naha said lie like she didn’t know how to do it and he knew that in itself was a lie. “Yes. Lie. But make up something really outrageous like, oh, I don’t know, she went on and on and _on_ about how handsome I was, so much it annoyed you. That she told you she couldn’t WAIT to meet me one day. Something like that.”

Naha Fey raised an eyebrow, “Is there a reason why?”

“Of course!” Kylo Ren clapped her on the shoulder. This time, when he walked away, he didn’t return.

Kylo had a laundry list of things to do before the Finalizer took sail for the Naboo Territory. He waved goodbye to Matt who’d decided to stay on Ghost for their sail back to Takodana. One day, he’d visit, thank he and Emmie and Maz for their help. He would have been a dead man without it. He did leave him with a substantial amount of credits, which Matt tucked away immediately, like someone was going to jump out and rob him. He had been helpful, but Kylo was reminded that Matt was also _weird_.

Next was Paige. As per his promise, he was committed to helping the little veiled deceiver hidden away on Keshla, Paige had followed him off of Ghost and onto the Finalizer, waving a curled piece of parchment that Kylo Ren had personally signed—read: forced to sign— threatening that he keep his word or else, as Paige had put it, a quarter of his treasures was hers. Apparently a skill of the people of Otomok was manipulating every opportunity to their advantage.

Signing, he led the young woman below to their underboard study, where he’d directed her to his Chronicler, Tallissan Lintra. When they entered her study, her head popped up out of a pile of maps.

“Hiya, Cap!” she said without looking up, a quiet “aha!” when she found the map she was looking for.

Paige, who was still yelling at his back about honor and valor because according to her, it was Kylo Ren who said he was going to help, personally and “Not your crew of flunkies!”

Crazy woman didn’t understand that he was the Captain of the ship she was on, and one of the perks of being a good Captain, and an even better pirate was his access to resources. The educated and capable crewmen.

He had half a mind to throw her overboard after she’d laughed—snarled—in his face as he’d patiently tried to explain what a Chronicler was.

“Who’s that?” Tallissan said, finally looking up.

“As I was saying, Paige. This is Tallissan. She knows Chandrilian law like her own heartbeat. She will—”

He stopped talking when Paige pressed a finger to his lips. The woman was staring at Tallissan like she was her last meal. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “She can help me. But only her.”

Kylo Ren looked between his oblivious Chronicler, and Paige’s wild eyes, and was almost scared to leave his ship’s brightest with he. But then Tallissan waved her over and invited her to explain her issue and Ren calmed down.

“Loopholes,” Tallissan said a moment after hearing Paige’s story. “That’s what we do. Loopholes. That’s how you stay free.”

“Yes,” Paige whispered, awed. “Loopholes.”

Following stop? Naha’s cabin.

When he barged in, Naha Fey was leaning against her desk, staring out at the deck like there was a problem she needed to solve and couldn’t figure out how. Kylo opened his mouth to begin explaining before she could bombard him with questions, but Naha raised a hand, held a bottle of rum to her lips, and swallowed half the damn thing. When she was finished, she motioned for him to begin explaining.

Which he did. Then he realized he shouldn’t have let her drink.

The story had her on the floor in _shambles_, tears running down her face, hands clamped around her middle. He much preferred her when she acted like she was more mature than the rest of them. These antics were beneath her. This is how he imagined Azer would react.

“Wait. _Wait_—no—this is just _too_ good! Tell me again. Who is she?”

Kylo pinched the bridge of his nose. “She’s ‘Rose’ but not really. She—”

“She’s Rey! But _you_ didn’t know! He who swore by The Seven of the House of Light that he could recognize her voice in a crowd of voices! He who swore to The Twelve Acolytes to the Den of Dark that he would know her face in a crowded room. A face he’s never seen! He who swore—”

“SHE WORE A VEIL!”

That culled another round of boisterous laughter—and honestly. Honestly! Where _was _Azer when he needed him?

“Stars! Only _you_ would fall in love with a woman twice without knowing you were doing it!” Naha Fey wiped her tears while using the edge of her desk to pull herself up. Still, chortling lie a mad woman, she peered to the conjoining door that connected their cabins. “Does she know you know?”

“No. She’s been sleeping for most of the journey—sleepwine. Hopefully, she will regain her strength soon.”

Naha shook her head. “She’s more than likely fine. Sleepwine needs a counter to dissipate it. Mitaka is here. He’ll know what to do.”

“Who else?”

“Emon'tu, Phetra, and Kodzai. Raijoit will be here in the morning. One word about Snoke and all the Knights returned immediately. Any plans?”

“Let me handle the bigger issue.”

“Which is...you inability to be discernible.”

“Yes,” he said between clenched teeth.

Naha simply waved a hand towards the door. “I’m not stopping you. Just tell her.”

Kylo scrunched up his face. “I’m not going in there and making some grand confession. She’d kill me if I did. She’d make it look like I did it, but I’d still be dead.”

“Adorable Sithspawn, huh?” Naha Fey lips twisted, her expression unreadable again. “But so was Bazine. You—have you felt any darkness in her?”

Yes. The answer was yes. Although Rey contained enough light to take the place of the sun, there was still a capacity for sunset in her, where her entire aura, her soul, was bathed in darkness. He’d felt it as she’d sunk deeper and deeper into the Silver Sea. Her desperation as death loomed over her—the anger she held for her situation, the bitterness towards people who’d wronged her, her hatred for Snoke. Yet, she hadn’t known how to utilize it, how to turn the Force to her side. Where pain and desperation made Kylo stronger, it had weakened her, scared her.

She needed a teacher.

“It’s there. But it’s not like Bazine. Bazine, she was…she was darkness. Not because she could wield it, but just because. Every nasty and vile thing that woman did was because she enjoyed being nasty and vile. Rey is nothing like her. Rey is good. She is _so_ good.”

“But a liar.”

Ren nodded. “A very good one. Which is why I don’t feel sorry for what I’m about to do. He nodded his First Mate over. Naha did so reluctantly, and honestly, this was a job best for Azer, maybe even Raijoit . But Rey had mentioned Naha and Naha was who he was going to conspire with. “So, what I was thinking was…”

Rey’s mouth felt like someone had stuffed cotton into it while she slept. Her head was heavy, as if it had been replaced with boulders instead of skin and bones.

“Stars,” she croaked.

Blinking to clear her vision, she looked down at the sheets twisted about her legs. In a moment, when she had the energy, she was going to handle that. A yawn had her stretching like a kitten and a low mewl seeped between her lips as she swiveled her torso back and forth, trying to get the kinks of. It felt like she’d been asleep for days.

Then she froze. The longer she sat there, the clearer it became that she had no idea where the hell she was.

The cabin was _substantial_, luxuriant. It would almost be overstated if it hadn’t been designed so beautifully. Red and black was everywhere, from the massive armoire in the corner, to the shiny ruby red Alquerques table sitting on four legs carved like lions, their jaws ripped open in a menacing roar. It was _times_ larger than Rose’s cabin and it made hers look like a thimble box.

Everything in the cabin looked expensive—the tapestries on the walls, the large oakwood table with a map of Chandrila stretched across its length, black runes shot through with gold and red veins holding it in place. Towering curtained windows faced both the deck and the open sea. There was a fireplace, and a large fur rug sprawled over the floor in front of it.

And the bed. The _bed_! It was incredibly supple and although the black duvet was a bit saturnine, the crimson red sheets were the softest thing she’d ever felt in her life. She fingered the black and silver furs strewn across the bed, figuring it was what kept her so warm. She didn’t know whose bed it was, and frankly, at the moment, she did not care. The temptation to slink back under the sheets and catch a few more hours of rest was almost too much.

“You’ve been sleep for two days and now you want more? Amazing.”

Rey looked up from the bed, cursing that she hadn’t thought to reach out for him first. Kylo Ren stared at her from a throne like chair positioned against the wall near the foot of the bed. His gaze was warm and amused, but it was the hints of hunger dappling his honey dark eyes that had her attention. “Lazy,” he said eventually after staring at her for a long, long moment, “but amazing.”

“I’m not lazy,” she pouted. “It’s just this bed…”

“My bed,” he said, the sound just shy of a growl.

“Y–y–your…” Her gazed dipped to the fabric clutched between her fingers. “If this is your bed, then we’re on your ship?”

Kylo Ren propped his chin in the palm of his hand and hummed his response.

Rey’s eyes went wild.

What had happened. What _had _happened?

She remembered being pushed, the cold water of the Silver Sea embracing her as if she were a long lost lover. She remembered the black sting of saltwater. The rush of blue-black water as she sunk lower and lower into its depths.The red of rage, the indigo of desolation, the white of acceptance.

Then there was the brown of the sand near her face when she was revived, the rocky rainbow cliffs of a cove, the crystalline darkness of the sky, the ruby red feel of…

Her hand flew to her mouth.

Had that happened?

She laughed, because no way. There was _no way_. Rey peeked at him from under the cover of lower lashes, finding him smiling at her as if _he_ was the one keeping the secret between the two of them.

“We’ll be in Theed soon,” he said, eyes roving over her face, slow and idyllic. “I remember you telling me you had duties there?” His fingers templed under his chin, the fuzz that covered his cheeks from a couple of days ago now a fine, rugged layer of hair. “Do you mind telling me what kind?”

“I—uh…” She straightened her back and lifted her head. She been lying to him, why not another? “Just a friendly talk with a lord there. You—sometimes I negotiate for Keshla.”

He hummed again, no surprise found in his posture or his face, before hopping up from his throne, and climbing the short set of steps that lead to an elaborate pearl table. There was a large white stone bowl and a pitcher, which he used to pour steaming hot water. He plucked a soft cloth and a small flask as well. All of this he laid on a reddish-brown carnelian studded trey.

“So,” he said as he worked. “ You’re a…”

Rey cleared her throat. “A negotiator. Of...the human element.”

“Ah,” was all Ren said as he took a seat beside her on the bed, his weight making her tip towards him. He steadied her with a hand across her collarbones and Rey sucked in a breath. Kylo raised a brow at her but said nothing. “Noble trade. Should have told me. I have some connections I could lend to expand your network.”

“I appreciate it, although I have been working exclusively for Keshla this year.”

Another hum. “Kehsla,” he murmured, his gaze drifting towards the window, a smile on his face. Not quite a smile, to be honest, but Rey knew this man as well as she could, and it came very close. “I _do _love that barge.”

Rey glowered at him. Ren ignored it.

“Here,” he said, lifting the flask. “Rosewater and lovage. I’m sure your mouth feels like sand.”

She accepted the flask without hesitation, tipping her head back. It had a strong minty taste to it, refreshing as it fought the bitterness in her mouth.

“Swallow for me," he commanded softly, which she did, watching as his gaze darkened. “Good girl.” He offered her a skin of water, and she alternated between taking sips from both until she was finished.

Kylo Ren inched closer and dipped the cloth into the water. “Come here.” Although the commands were soft and low, they strummed something deep in her, which was wholly unacceptable. She had to stop this, stop herself. Before she could tell him to relax on the orders, he reached across the bed and seized her chin.

Rey recoiled, her mouth falling open—in shock, embarrassment, proximity, she didn’t know. Kylo Ren frowned and reached again, this time his grip strong enough that she knew better than to withdraw. “You know you drool in your sleep?”

Rey gasped. “I do not!” Still, she let Kylo Ren swipe the cloth across the corner of her mouth, across her nose, the corners of her eyes, which she promptly closed when she felt the cool kiss of water. When her eyes fluttered back open, he was _incredibly_ close—too close—and if it weren’t for his grip on her chin, and his silent command for her to stay still, she would have flown back in surprise.

“We’ve known each other for a long time, haven’t we, Adorae?”

Rey frowned. “It’s been a week.”

“That’s all?” he said as the cloth trailed over her jaw, then down, down, across her neck, his touch largely ineffectual in cleaning her, but—but Rey—it felt as if her entire face is on fire.

“A week can seem short, and a week can seem like forever,” he said with the fastidiousness of a scholar, like he was saying something profound. Rey was barely paying attention. “It took me a week to decide to leave The House of Organa. It was so fast. I blinked and it was behind me as I walked away. My grandfather—Vader, ever heard of him?—well, he fell in love with my grandmother the very first time he saw her. Said she was an angel.”

“I’m sure she was,” she mumbled. He was still _so _close and drawing closer still, her chin clutched between his fingers preventing her from fleeing like she wanted, no needed to. “T–time is subjective.”

Another hum. “Yes. _Our_ time together has felt like an eternity to me. So, we should get to know one another better, don’t you agree?” His eyes dipped to her lips, trailing up slowly, slowly until he was looking at her again. “Anything you want to tell me?”

Rey’s mouth flopped open and close like a landcaught fish. What an absurd, out of the blue, but completely understandable question. “I—when you say anything—see—there are—"

Her words faltered when he kissed the corner of her mouth, tenderly, his eyes never leaving her, the grip on her chin still in place.

_Stars_. Rey knew she wanted to kiss him again, but she didn’t know just how much until it happened. And to her absolute horror, found herself leaning into his touch.

Kylo hummed yet again, this one sounding pleased. His hand released her chin, briefly pressing long fingers against her throat before sliding around to cuff just below her nape, firmly. Rey won’t understand what he did, ever, but there was a push against her chest, and then her back was against the furs and silk of his bed, and his large, broad body pressing her into the mattress.

His weight against her was absolutely delicious, divine. From here she can see more of him. He’d always been massive and the things he did to shirts should be unlawful. There was so much of him, he was _everywhere _and once again Rey was reminded of them being in a similar position. The feel of him pressed between her legs, stiff and large and—

“No?” he said simply, as if the only thing separating him from the crux of her spread thighs were the sheets. “Nothing at all?” He said this against the corner of her mouth, plush lips—sinful. They were _sinful_ and something fierce and unbroken twisted in Rey’s chest. But her head was still attached and she was still capable of salvaging this before Kylo did something they couldn’t take back.

_Be cool, Rey. The man was obviously drunk or maybe he hit his head or maybe she was—yes. She was still dreaming._

“Kylo—Ben,” she tried but whatever she was going to say, _whatever _she was going to say withered he trailed a hand up her side, feather light touches that were sending her senses into shock. Stuck on stupid. Sensory overload. Her brain stopped working, it couldn’t have been working in the first place because dreams don’t feel like this. Dreams featured half warbled heads and barely recognizable faces where you were cognizant of someone’s identity because of the pattern of their souls, not the facets and flaws of their face. But Kylo—he was here, she could reach out and touch his nose, caress his lips if she wanted to.

This was not a dream.

Was this happening?

This was definitely happening.

His hand grazed the underside of her breast and her next inhale was a feral hiss.

“Are we acting shy now?” Well, he certainly wasn’t shy. He claimed her bottom lip between his teeth as his hand found a breast. And now she couldn’t even hide it—her desire—because her nipples were really into this and she could tell, he could tell.

She was going to die.

“My lovely,” he released her lips to kiss her forehead, “brave,” a kiss to her cheek, “unstoppable,” back to her lips, “ ethereal Rey. Shy?” He tsked. “Won’t even tell me more about herself.” She could feel him, even through his sheets. With his free hand, his fingers dug into her hips, keeping her still as he pressed forward, rolling against her, thick and hot and—

Rey was ready to tell him anything, anything, just so he would never, _ever _stop.

“Ya–ya–know what? I do—ah, ah, stars—”

She whimpered as he placed a hot open mouth kiss against her pulse point, his full lips and, oh gods, the drag of his teeth, all in time with how he was absolutely pinning her to the bed, how something deep inside of her was rising, rising, _rising_—“I do have something–something to tell you.”

Kylo Ren hips stilled, his lips stopped, and in that moment Rey would have cursed an angel to hell to get him to continue. Instead, he lifted his head, a brow arched and expectant as he stared down at her. “And what is that?”

Rey opened her mouth to most likely blow her life to shreds. This was happening. He —she—_them_—was happening. It was right here, him gazing at her like he wanted her, _her_, and no one else. Like he desired her. He kept saying _her _name.

She could touch him, really touch him, for as long as she wanted, as feverishly as she wanted.

The kiss, which had been more fleeting images as she regained consciousness, played on a loop in the back of her mind. He did kiss her but—no. Near death experiences could make any sane man do insane things. Worried, anxious, terrified. That could have driven him into her arms.

But this wasn’t the cove. She wasn’t half dead.

She could do it—be selfish for _once _in her life, and just hold on to what she could for as long as she could—but damn her and her insufferable sense of integrity. She hated lying to him. “This isn’t the first—what I’m trying to say is….” Rey stopped. Started. Stopped. Tried again. “We aren’t strangers, you and I.”

Kylo Ren’s smile was a slow, undemanding thing and Rey swore to all the stars that she wasn’t going to be able to get this out if he kept looking at her like that. “Of course, we aren’t strangers.” He punctuated that statement with a long drag of him against her. Then a kiss to her throat. “I feel like I’ve known you longer than possible.”

Rey groaned in frustration. “No. No, not like that. We aren’t strangers!” She stopped his lazy nod, one she caught on his downward trip to her clavicle. “Ben,” she stressed.

“You know. I don’t allow many to call me that. But when you call me that,” and Rey swore—suddenly he was harder and longer and that was _impossible_. “…I don’t mind it so much.”

“You—"

“Yo, Ren, here are the reports from Phetra and Kodzai and—_whoa_.” Azer Ren stood at threshold of Kylo’s cabin with a handful of letters on parchment . His eyes jumped back and forth between his captain and Rey before he cupped his hands over his eyes. “I’m just gonna—Sorry to have—this can wait, they can wait and—yeah, bye.” He dropped the letters somewhere near the desk he was aiming for and virtually ran out.

With his exit went Rey’s courage. She slipped out of Klyo’s suction like embrace, resting against the headboard, her breath labored and her gaze concentrated on her hands.

Kylo Ren stared down at where Rey used to be and chuckled in defeat. For a moment, it felt like he would chase her, follow her up the bed, and if he did, then Rey would have let him do absolutely whatever he wanted to her but...he withdrew. Eventually he stood and nodded towards a chest near the armoire.“There’s clothing in there for you. I had Naha picked you up some clean clothing. Should fit.” His face was unreadable as he stared down at her. “Get dressed, Rey. Your duty in Theed awaits you.”

Poe was _bored_.

Rose wasn’t speaking to him, again, because he and he quoted:

“You sent her on some godforsaken mission, one that Finn could have handled on his own and she hasn’t sent a raven or a letter or anything and so help me God, if she is dead or hurt, if one hair on her head is missing, I’m hanging you upside down by your balls for all to see!”

Rey had volunteered for it! Practically demanded! And it was his balls that were in proverbial peril. Absurd.

Poe wondered if he was the only man to ever have silent sex. She just kind of frowned at him the entire go, and no amount of tantric hip thrusts, that little trick he did with his tongue, calling her Mistress Rose—none of it worked. She was loud with Finn although he was just as to blame!

He stormed out onto the deck to find Finn and Pammich laying under the pavilion, the woman’s head in his lap, her slim fingers full of fruit that she was shoving into his mouth; really, she’d picked the whole vine dry and Finn’s cheeks puffed out like a squirrel’s.

“Neither of you have anything to do?” he drawled lazily as he approached them, picking the two of them to take his irritation out on.

“No _one_ to do would be the more applicable descriptor, wouldn’t you think?” Pammich shot back, fanning herself with hand. “Captain Ren’s money has been fabulous but stars, it has been boring since he’s scared off all our regulars.”

“They’ll come back around,” Poe scoffed. “Just the other day I saw the Deputy’s son gazing at you across Alon like his life has been empty without you.”

Pammich snorted. She reached up to shove the last grape in Finn’s mouth, but he smacked her hand away as he tried to chew what he’d been offered, frowning as juice ran out the corners of his mouth

“Wfef a lefffer frmmff Kyfrolo Mffren.”

Poe narrowed his eyes at him, and then cuffed him across the back of his head, and Finn gulped the last of the fruit down with a loud gasp. “I said,” he tried as he fought to catch his breath. “We got another letter from Kylo Ren.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Another one? Well, run off and give it to Rose. She’d appreciate someone who she didn’t think was an idiot making googly eyes at her, even in letter form.”

“Would have but this was addressed to you.” He reached and offered up the letter. “See. To Poe. From Kylo Ren”

He snatched the letter out of Finn’s hand and cracked the seal, noticing Kylo Ren’s emblem in deep crimson red. With a raised brow, he uncurled the paper and leaned against the side of the ship to read the letter.

‘The weather in Theed is wonderful! Soon we’ll be in Alon and don’t worry. I’ll be bringing Rey back in one piece.’

Poe’s forehead puckered in thought, blinking owlishly before he poked Finn in the side with his shoe. “Hey Finn—read that for me.” Finn looked from his boss to the piece of parchment.” I want to know at what point I should start panicking.”

“Panicking?” Finn said, plucking the letter from Poe’s hand. “Is he trying to stiff us or something?”

“Just…read it.” Poe nodded at it.

“Weather in Theed is …yadayadayada…don ‘t worry…yadayadayada…Rey back…one… piece…” Finn narrowed his eyes and Poe counted in his head until it hit Finn, really hit Finn, and he would laugh as his eyes almost popped out of his head. His head jerked towards Poe. “Is he trying to be funny? No. He’s not very funny. Do you think he _knows_?”

Poe inhaled a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. No need to overreact. Not. Just. Yet. “No. He couldn’t possibly. Coincidences aside, he probably just.” Poe shrugged. “…You know.”

Finn was _not_ calmed by this. “Ohmygodweare_doomed_! He is a pirate, Poe. A darksider pirate! He’s going to find out we lied and BLOW US UP WITH HIS SHIP CANNONS. No! Worse! Choke us to death! I heard they could do that without hands. Oh—my—GOD. And he has Rey.” Finn jumped up from his seat and Pammich yelped as her head fell from his lap and bounced unceremoniously on the deck floor. “He’s bringing her back in one piece so he can KILL us.” He walked over to Poe and grabbed him by his collar and Poe had only seen Finn this frenzied before—that one time he had to actually use a sword to make a patron pay up. “I’m too young to die, Poe! I don’t want to die a virgin!”

The older man slapped the hands wrapped around his collar away. “Bloody hell, Finn! Get yourself together! For one, if you’re a virgin, then _I’m_ a virgin. I took _yours_, remember? And two, he’s—he’s going to bring Rey back and—you know—Hell! I don’t know, man! Just calm down and whatever you do, _whatever_ you do, do _not_ let Rose know!”

He looked from Pammich to Finn, and back to Pammich, who was rubbing the back of her head and glaring at Finn. He narrowed his eyes at her. “Is that clear, woman?”

She pursed her lips like she’d been chewing on a lemon rind. “As you wish, my lord.”

Poe rolled his eyes at her. Hopefully the loudmouth wouldn’t gallop to tell Rose first. Maybe a light jog to Kaydel or Jessika. So he had, what, half an hour?

He wondered briefly which would be worse. Rose or Kylo Ren. Ren, probably. Marginally. He collapsed, sagging against the side of his ship. “I don’t even know how to fight,” he whimpered.

Kylo Ren could see, no feel, Naha Fey simmering in the background, the dark side of her flaring, and her anger licking all over the place.

They’d arrived in Theed and were escorted to a structure that was built as an ostentatious reconstruction of Guido's Tower, although on the outskirts of the city, and not lingering near the Solleu River, like the original. Servants greeted them at the threshold and guided them to a lavish, but kitschy sitting room.

That had been an hour ago.

Now, both he and Naha sat guard while Rey and Voren, only son of Voras the Hutt, negotiated terms for a probable contact between him and Pammich Nerro Goode, a famed courtesan of Keshla. Not that the negotiations were going well. Voren, like the reputation his father boasted, wasn’t the most tolerable man. He accused them of being late—which Rey apologized profusely for. He’d upbraided her quite thoroughly for “bringing human men,” he’d spat in Huttese, into his house while his guard was away—“_Uba dopo bai je killya, chik_?—as if Rey had traveled halfway across Chandrila to assassinate him.

She’d apologized for that even though Kylo Ren seethed at her acquiescence. Silently, he’d envisioned killing the Hutt just like his mother did. Maybe then they’d call _him _The Huttslayer.

Now, not only was his dealing with his own anger, but he had to keep Naha from hissing at Voren every time Pammich’s name was brought up. Although, he didn’t know what she was all pissy for. Naha Fey Ren was almost as rich as he was, maybe even more since she wasn’t one to spend her spoils on anything. But if she was this irritated at another for wanting Pammich’s attention, then maybe it was time to drop the credits.

He wasn’t going to tell her that _now_, of course. She’d likely kill him.

“_Woy jeejee see fah dah bu hoppada?” _ Rey responded to something Voren had said. “If you do agree, a visit could be arranged within a fortnight upon my return.” Rey slid the parchment across the smooth surface of the table. “_Bo tapka che bargon?_ Think wisely—once the contract is signed, it is unbreakable.”

“_Ye wanya_? Pretty girl? Ugly girl?” Voren slithered out in Basic.

Rey looked up from the parchment and blinked. “You’ve never seen her? How can that be…you specifically requested—”

“I just picked name. Wa ciken ah _ciken_.”

Rey reacted to his words slowly, but Ren could see that it wasn’t sluggish comprehension—he could see her lips moving as she tried to come up with the correct response.

Naha Fey Ren, on the other hand, did not hesitate. She stood back, kicking her chair out of the way, and stormed across the room towards Voren. Kylo was barely able to get his arm in front of her. “Don’t, Naha. _Tyûk_. Calm down.”

She inhaled deeply, and exhaled before muttering, “Tyûk,” back to him but Voren’s quiet condescending chuckle untethered her calm. Her hand was sunk deep in the folds of his throat before Kylo could stop her again.

“Watch your tongue,” she growled.

“Kouuice wuona?” The Hutt glared down at her, amber bloodshot eyes trained on her. Those same ugly orange eyes narrowed. “Ah. _Kouuice_ _wuona_. Dark. Filth. _Ritke—bacaka—bu—ciken_.”

Kylo again, felt it, before he saw the effects of it. Where Voren’s eyes were narrowed down at Naha before, now they were bulging, pressure trying to find an escape as the Keshiri wrapped the Force around his neck.

“Call her out of her name again and I will be the last thing you ever see. I’ll will utterly destroy your soul so that you may never find rest in the afterlife.”

“Sa—can,” Voren wheezed, his face darkening as he struggled to get a breath in.

Naha smiled in response, a dark, venomous thing. “Yes. A demon, I am,” she hissed.

At this point, Kylo knew it was foolish to try and stop her. Really—Voren had brought this on himself. Rey thought otherwise.

“Naha! It’s okay!” Rey was at her side, stopping short as if she could feel the gamut of Naha’s darkness. Still, without even knowing she was doing it, reached across—into— Naha’s anger, and Kylo felt a different sort of flare—some light, some dark, a grey mist that saturated the air. It was powerful, inherently, but without focus. It was enough, however, to snap Naha out of her rage. “W—what?”

“I wouldn’t allow such a man anywhere near Pammich. You can let him go. The negotiations are over.”

Naha blinked at Rey, then to Kylo. “_Nwûl_, Naha Fey.”

She glanced at her hand, curled into a claw, and then to Voren, who was beginning to turn a sickly blue-grey. Then uncurled her fingers. Voren inhaled a deep, wet breath.

“And you for….” Rey smiled down at him, taking the contract, ripping it to little pieces and sprinkling the tattered paper over him. He looked at the bits of parchment raining down on him as he struggled to regain his breath.

“Never contact Keshla again. They are my family and the last thing I will ever suffer is their disrespect,” Rey snarled, “If you do, I will find the First Order myself and let them know about Ivax Syndicate’s smuggling operation,”–Voren’s snapped still–”and how you’re undercutting them.”

Both Kylo and Naha’s heads snapped towards her. Voren’s eyes sluggishly trailed from remnants of the contract to Rey, as her words started to dawn on him. “_Kouuice_,” he hissed.

“Dark?” Rey laughed and it sounded dry and nefarious. “I’m much worse. Enjoy your day, my lord.”

Once on the other side of Voren’s gates, Rey and Naha, who by all means had been nothing short of murderous inside, collapsed into a fit of giggles.

“His face!” Rey cried, holding her stomach. “Did you see his face! I’ve seen a lot of Hutts but I’ve never seen a blue one!” Rey canted forward, both of her hands on her knees. She looked up at Naha Fey through her tears. “I _really_ thought you were going to kill him.”

Naha Fey’s smile fell just a bit. “I was. You saved his life, Rey. A waste, really.”

Naha’s deadly intent did not dampen Rey’s laughter. If Kylo wasn’t mistaken, she laughed even harder. Interesting.

Kylo brow rose. “How exactly did you find out about Ivax Syndicate’s connections to First Order.”

Rey shrugged, wiping her face. “Very educated guess. I had two overseers on Jakku, a Mandalorian, who was as much of a slave as I was, and a Huttese named Orax Desilijic. Very nasty fellow but loved to brag. He told me after I’d shown up with an impressive haul, that most of the Hutts came to Chandrila because The House of Light was too busy humming and praying to appreciate their threat. And of course, he bragged out how now no one could stop them, not even the _Koo Ahban._”

“Well done, then.” Naha did something he’d only seen done with the other Knights—she ruffled Rey’s head. Kylo almost tripped over his own feet. “That information will come in handy in the future.”

Determined now, Kylo smoothly positioned himself between Rey and Naha and elbowed her while Rey was staring off into the woods again. His eyes darted between his First Mate and Rey. Naha frowned and Kylo Ren was going to kill her if he had to make it any more obvious. But she glanced at Rey again and _then_ got it.

“So! Uh, Rey!” Naha cleared her throat and tried again with less false ringing enthusiasm. “About our last conversation.” Rey stiffened and whipped around to face her. The look on her face was priceless. _Priceless_. “You know…in that library? About that book?”

“Book.” Rey tilted her head, narrowed her eyes. Ren recognized that look. Shit. “Ah,” she said, her features easing into something recognizable—cunning. “We talked about _so _many books that day. Can you remind me which one it was?”

There hadn’t been many situations he’d seen Naha panic. This was one, however. She turned to look at Ren as if their very profession wasn’t built on being persuasive and thinking on their feet and gods, she was about to be outwitted by a negotiator! “I—uh—oh! One…dozen and—no. Wait. One Hundred Nights.”

Rey had the grace not to laugh in either of their faces. “You mean One Thousand and One Nights?”

“Yes, yes.” Naha exhaled, relieved. “That one. I’ve forgotten the story already!”

“Hm. What I remember most was us discussing Shahryar and Scheherazade—the story of the queen who lied to her King to save her life. He’d invited her into his bed, into his life, for a specific reason—because Shahryar had a plan. Originally, Scheherazade had one night to fool her King—if not, things...well things would have gotten bad for her. But, she did what she needed to, what she had to, so that she, and everyone around her, could survive. By the end of it all, the King had fallen in love with Scheherazade and they lived happily ever after. So, you see,” and Kylo froze as Rey’s eyes shifted to him, “sometimes lies are necessary.” She turned back to look at Naha Fey. “Don’t you agree?”

The Kishiri Knight of Ren’s eyes jutted to Kylo’s for a faint moment, before nodding her head slowly.

“And you,” Rey said, once again, looking at Kylo. “Do you agree? If the lie is important and without it, destiny may be altered? If the lie means you get to keep what’s yours? If only for a moment?”

Kylo faltered. “What if…” No. “How long did it take Scheherazade to convince him.”

She tilted her head. “From what I’ve heard, you know this story.” She took one step closer to him. “You tell me. How long should someone lie to get what they want?”

Kylo was not going to answer that question, and it was obvious to Rey, so she repeated her first. “If a lie protects, is it necessary.” Her voice broke on the last word, but there were no tears in her eyes. Just determination. “Do you agree?”

“Yes, Rey.” His hands flexed with the desire to clear the space between them, take her into his arms, and hold her. To assure her. To let her understand that he knew and that he didn’t care.

“I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let's just say these are correct translations.  
Sith:  
_Tash. Nwûl tash. Qorit tash! _\- **Liar. Peace is a lie. End the lies.**
> 
> **__**_Nwûl?_ \- **Peace**
> 
> **__**_Nuyak, Rey?_ \- **My, Rey?**
> 
> **__**_Asha _\- **Victory**
> 
> **__**_Tyûk _\- **Strength. **
> 
> Huttese:  
_Uba dopo bai je killya, chik?_ \- **You try to kill me?**
> 
> **__**_Woy jeejee see fah dah bu hoppada?_ \- **Do we agree on the terms?**
> 
> **__**_Bo tapka che bargon?_ \- **One night for the deal. **
> 
> **__**_Ye wanya?_ \- **Looks?**
> 
> **__**_Wa ciken ah ciken_ \- **A whore is a whore.**
> 
> _Kouuice wuona?_ \- **Darkside?**
> 
> **__**_Ritke—bacaka—bu—ciken_ \- **Just—like—the—whore.**
> 
> **__**_Sacan_ \- **Demon.**
> 
> **__**_Kouuice_ \- **Dark.**
> 
> _Koo Ahban_ -** First Order.**


	9. Azer

“Get those sails in the air!”

Azer Ren stood at the quarterdeck, one hand on his hip, the other thrust forward, fingers pointing at the large mainsail as the red fabric was strung up. He wanted to get out of there as soon as possible but the idiots they had as crewmen were moving slower than half-sleep banthas.

Probably because of Theed. No, definitely because of Theed. 

Azer hated Theed. Had, since he was a boy. Father died in Theed, Mother abandoned him to Snoke in Theed. But more than that, Theed was filled to the brim with a pretentious arrogance that flowed from the poorest to the richest and you could smell the foul stench of pompous, slanderous, hypocritical asshole from a mile away.

Nothing ever good has ever happened in Theed.

So, yes—Azer hated Theed.

Raijoit sat idling at the base of the mast, one good eye squinted towards the sun up above. He nudged his gaze a bit to the left towards Azer and chuckled. “If you’d spend one night, just one night in Theed’s brothels, you wouldn’t look like someone shoved a fathier hoof up your ass every time we docked here.”

More bad memories. He’d lost his virginity to a Theed noblewoman—who’d somehow forgot to tell her that the last name Mediu was not a maiden name, that she wasn’t a maiden, and that her damn husband could be, would be returning soon. He’d had to jump out of a damn moving cart and into the freezing waters of Lake Paonga to escape him and his sword. Then he was then attacked by the kriffing Gungan guard.

He hated Theed!

Kodzai Ren joined Raijoit and collectively they just stared as Azer Ren tried his hardest not to pop a blood vessel. When Emon'tu Ren joined—like Azer was some kind of goddamn circus performer—he lost it.

“A celebration! We’re having a fucking celebration!” he roared.

“A celebration celebrating what, might I ask?” Emon'tu tried.

“Leaving fucking Theed!”

He could already hear the low whispers of the crewmen, whether it was because he’d just announced a feast for no good damn reason, or because they thought he was going soft in the head. Fine! Let them talk! That meant less gossip spreading for him. If any of them did their jobs half as well as they gossiped, they would be well away from this—

“Have you seen her yet?” Kodzai asked when it really did look like Azer was going to have a conniption.

Azer narrowed his eyes, nose wrinkled as he regarded the pale green man. “Seen who?”

“The woman Cap has locked up in his cabin.”

“Of course, I’ve seen her. I did spend a night on Keshla.”

“I heard she had an extra eye,” one of the crew, Kyryahi, murmured from over a haul of ammunition Emon'tu had gotten from…somewhere.

“No, it’s three nipples,” said another.

“I heard she was the most beautiful Twi’lek ever born.”

“She’s not a Twi’lek you moron. She’s a Keshiri! Like Naha!”

Azer watched them spin their stupid tales for another half second before he screamed, “GET THOSE FUCKING SAILS IN THE AIR OR SO HELP ME!”

To his fellow Knights, he leaned down. “She’s pretty, alright? Gorgeous.” And walked off.

The feast would be good fun, sure, but the more Azer thought about it, the more he saw an opportunity to get Kylo Ren drunk off his ass and have him tell exactly what the hell he and Naha were all whispery about.

Namely, why Rose the Veiled was on their ship without a veil.

Azer had a talent: holding grudges. In order to hold grudges, he had to remember things, faces, names, scents, that sort of thing. Hell, Rose could have been covered in mud for all he cared, and he would have remembered her face for the rest of his life. He also remembered Jessika and Kaydel’s faces—and cunnies—but that was a different sort of remembrance.

Which made seeing her again, half unconscious with an apple hanging from her lips as she was transported onto the Finalizer, rather confusing. What was a courtesan doing on their ship, without reason, without announcement, looking like that?

Then Kylo called her Rey. He supposed Rey could be a nickname for Rose. He highly doubted it.

Right. He would need lots of ale. Loose lips and all.

“The sails are up and the ship is loaded, my lord. We should be just south of the northern lands by this time tomorrow.”

Azer waived the gunner off. He was a tall man with shaggy black hair and a blinding smile that annoyed Azer because no one should be that happy all the time. “Bugger off with the ‘my lord’ shit, Kazuda. Make sure you get that list down to the cook and tell him the theme for his cooking tonight is tender. Last time he almost boiled the meat to a brick.”

“It was nerf meat. It’s supposed to be tough.”

Azer narrowed his eyes and Kazuda, smart man, made his way to the stairs without another word.

Now to see if he could get anything out of a sober Naha.

In her cabin—if you could call her cold, dead, empty, sparsely decorated space a cabin—Azer found her hunched over a cut of parchment, mapping him a course from Theed to Ilum like he couldn’t make a simple coastline trip without Naha Fey’s supervision. “It’s a straight shot, Naha. You can stop with all the arrows and circles and—” when the First Mate ignored him, drawing a red line from port to the coastline, Azer snatched the quill out of her hands, “— we have bigger issues. Much bigger issues. Gigantic issues.”

Two pale yellow eyes looked up from the map to Azer, her forehead pinched and her fingers twitching as if she couldn’t believe the fool had snatched the quill straight from her hands. She sighed and eyed the Second Mate mildly. “Such as?”

Azer looked out of the window of Naha Fey’s quarters to stare at the sky, then over to the large gilded grill of his Captain’s window. “First, as much as you two try to keep a secret, I’ll have you remember that I am not the sort to be kept out of the loop! I have spies, you see—”

“Azer...”

“You two seem to think that just because I haven’t been a part of your super-secret, super-duper friendship circle that I wouldn’t find things out, did you?”

“Azer Ren,” Naha Fey snapped as she snatched her quill back.

“Fine. Either of you,” he drawled, leaning across her maps, probably smudging ink, “want to explain why Rey is aboard, for starters. And just how long did Rey drag our illustrious, infallible, courageous Captain around Chandrila by the balls as Rose?”

Naha Fey dropped the quill. “How did you—"

“Also, while we are talking about things I know and you don’t—I’m sure you’ve noticed that Captain Ren has been in his cabin staring at his father’s flask for entirely too long to be comfortable,” he paused, watching Naha’s face for a reaction, “or that he has recently purchased a vial of halite?”

Naha Fey’s brows bumped into a scowl across her forehead. It was confusion and Azer was positively giddy on the inside. She leaned forward; her face still shadowed in something that could be misperception or frustration or anger or…anything. It was hard to tell with her. “Han Solo’s flask?”

“That’d be the one! Although, I was sure he’d burned all Han’s things when he died, but I’ve learned here recently that our Captain is as soft as fresh baked starblossom cake. Such a sentimental fool,” Azer said, sighing dramatically.

“He only burned his father’s jacket. Because of the blood. Not because—what else, Azer?”

“Oh,” and he hummed as if he were trying to remember. “When you all returned from your super-secret mission, he headed straight for the kitchens. Gramave—that dick—mentioned he’d absconded a tiny satchel filled with cloves, pomegranate seeds, lovage and then had him order a cask of Theed’s best wine to be opened and allowed to breathe. That was,” Azer looked up at the sky, “an hour ago. Plenty of breathing time don’t you think?”

He had to give it to her. Naha Fey waited almost half a breath before jumping from her seat and crossing the room far faster than Azer thought she was capable of.

Shouldering their way past the door, both Naha Fey and Azer stumbled into the Captain’s cabin. True to Azer’s word, they found Kylo Ren at his study, a large wooden flask to his right, and a handful of the previous mentioned materials cradled between his large palms. His lips were pressed together in concentration as he funneled the pungent materials into the mouth of the flask.

“By all of the Seven of the House of Light, is that what I think it is?” Naha Fey skidded to a stop in front of Kylo Ren’s study, peering down at his hands with wild eyes.

Kylo Ren only grunted his answer, instead using his energy to shift his large palms back and forth, bits and bits of his concoction falling into the flask.

“That is binding!” Naha Fey all but hissed. “Undoable, unretractable! It is an everlasting vow.”

Kylo Ren glanced up at his first. “Yes. That’s why people make vows to begin with.”

“It was cute to indulge you on the lying bit but this? This?” Azer thought Naha was going to throttle Kylo. She took a menacing step towards him. “You’ve known her for days,” she growled.

“And you were ready to seep enough darksider power into Voren over an insult to a woman you’ve spent mere hours with, regardless of the consequences to your own damn soul.” He looked up at her. “That, too, is an everlasting thing, if you’re failing to remember.”

“Don’t lecture to me about consequences! You wouldn’t even be in this mess if you hadn’t have taken off like a loon in search of a damn book!”

“Nwûl,” their captain hissed. “Nwûl! She brings me peace!”

“Nwûl tash! Dzwol shâsotkun!”

Kylo chuckled, dark and humorless and sad. “That’s Snoke talking, not you. Isn’t that the reason you came to me? Both of you? Because of his poison? Peace is not a lie. Passion is not all we have, so don’t you dare spit his lies in my face.” Kylo fell silent. Naha took a step back, her aura almost contrite. “Look at me Naha. Do I look like I don’t know what I’m doing?”

“That’s not the—it’s—you’re being—”

“I’ve known you all my life as Kylo Ren. You are my dearest friend and…if I need anyone to be okay with this, I need you to be okay with this. Remember what we’ve lost. Remember in our redemption, what we are allowed to gain.”

Naha Fey stood frozen, her hand clutching his desk, the other, clenched at her side. “If she hurts you, I will kill her.”

Kylo sighed. “I don’t think that’s—”

“And if you hurt her,” she growled. “I will kill you. That is the consequence of this vow. You are binding me, and Azer, and Kodzai, Phetra, Emon'tu, Kodzai and Raijoit to her. Understand that, Ben.”

Azer blinked, suddenly understanding the gravity of this.

Kylo pushed the cork into the flask. “I understand, Naha.”

The First Mate of the Finalizer nodded. With a half-hearted smirk, she reached for the unused portion of wine and knocked it back. “Son of a Sithspawn. Vow-Binding me to a damn lightsider.”

“Grey.”

“Whatever!”

Azer chuckled from his newfound position on the edge of Kylo Ren’s bed. “You two are such soft-hearted fools that I’m not sure how we’re even friends.”

Kylo Ren snorted and proceeded to ignore him as he shoved the flask deep into the pockets of his long black coat. “I hear you’ve started some sort of mutiny against the cook, Azer. What’s this celebration I’m hearing of?”

Azer allowed the change of subject. Only because he also needed a drink and some time to think. “When’s the last time we all sat around and got drunk together, eh?”

Naha raised a brow. “Just a couple of weeks ago…”

“Aye! And far too long for my taste! Tonight,” and he saddled up to Naha, nudging her. “We get to see our Captain make a fool of himself!”

“What does that part do?”

“Ah, it’s the prismatic crystal housing, which we get from the Crystal Canyons. Which,” and Kyryahi leaned forward, “is a bit sacrilegious seeing as it’s supposed to be a Tomb. But I’m no Jedi and I’m no Sith and I’m no Darksider or any other classification The House of Light came up with. So,” and she pointed down to the blaster in her hands, “once this recharges, and you tap this thing here—ZAP! Hot blaster in their ass! Of course, it’s illegal to use this in Chandrila…but they never said anything about it off Chandrila.” Kyryahi wagged her eyebrows and just because she could, fired one blaster bolt past the rails and into the Silver Sea.

They both watched the water explode, Kyryahi’s eyes narrowed with smug satisfaction, Rey’s with wonder from her upside down position on the low rung bar hammered against the mast. Unhooking her legs, Rey dropped down on her hands and sprung back up. Kyryahi held out the heavy blaster pistol for her to hold.

“I’ve never seen one of these before,” she whispered, reverently, as she ran her small fingers across the quickly cooling metal.

“Not a lot of them around. I swear, the technology in Chandrila is moving backwards. We got this one because it was one of the treasures Snoke lost to the Captain. That wrinkled idiot was only looking for that stupid lightsaber, so Captain got away with this. As the gunner, I ended up with it.”

“No. You got it because you cornered me into a bet I couldn’t win.”

Both heads whipped around to find Kylo Ren standing there, both of his muscled forearms tucked across his chest. “And if I remember correctly, you were sober, and I wasn’t.”

The dark-skinned woman stood, face stretched wide with a cheeky smile. “My trusty and ever wondrous leader! You weren’t that drunk.” She followed the statement with a friendly nudge to the ribs. “And there was never a rule about sobriety. Only if could manage to shoot through the hole of a wombat nest. You couldn’t.”

Kylo Ren turned to Rey. “Don’t listen to her words. Anything she previously told you is probably a lie. She, of all the people on this ship, is not to be trusted.”

Rey took a step towards him, hands folded behind her back as she licked the corner of her lip in contemplation. “Kyryahi? A liar? Well, she did say that you were the most fearsome pirate in all of Chandrila. I guess I should ignore that.”

She looked over her shoulder at the gunner, winking. “Yes, yes. Shouldn’t believe it, not to be trusted, everything is a lie, right, Kyryahi? Him? Fearsome?“ Rey snorted. “Did I ever tell you the story of a cock and a midnight piss?”

She felt him reaching for her and Rey twirled away from him, out of his grasp. “See. Some of us can hold our water better than others and—”

“That is not a story I think needs to be shared!”

“Oh, ho! No, you don’t!” Kyryahi was wide eyed now with curiosity. “We want to hear this! Is this like the one where he sang for three days straight?”

Kylo gasped. “You told them that?”

“Or when he almost killed your horse because he used Chandrilian raava to light a fire?” Tallie asked as she climbed the steps to the upper deck with a handful of scrolls, Paige on her heels.

Kylo Ren’s eyes went wide and Rey almost swallowed her tongue to keep from laughing. He heard her attempt anyway and glared. “What have you been doing while I’ve been—” He cut himself off, patting his coat, like she was going to pick his pockets for treasure unseen. “Doing things.”

She smirked at him, feeling mischievous, feeling like herself after days of having to shelf it to survive. “Oh,” she shrugged. “Just getting to know your crew. They are a lovely, courageous group of people and they enjoyed my stories. In turn, they told me a few about you.”

“Like the one time he made the wrong person walk the plank and had to dive in after ‘em?!” That came from Emon'tu, a Knight of Ren whose personality shifted between rambunctious and downright incorrigible at the drop of a dime.

“That was not my fault! That was,” and he pointed at the Knight, “yours! You oversaw that duty!”

“Yes, yes, Captain, but as Captain our faults are yours. I plucked the wrong man from the cells, but you are the one who ignored his last words.”

“Which were “I didn’t do it!” How many times have we heard that one before?”

Emon'tu nodded before leaning over Rey and flicking a safety switch on the blaster. “Careful.”

“Or how he got into a fistfight because he found out that Azer could run faster than him?” Phetra said from below deck.

“Or how he—"

Rey’s bottom lip was trembling with how hard she was trying not to laugh.

Obviously, and understandably, Kylo was not as amused. “Aren’t you all just the funniest group of pirates I’ve ever seen? And because you are just so kriffing funny, let’s see who gets to help Blajav scrub the deck!”

A tiny dark-haired head perked up from below deck, face alight and eager for the help. No matter; most of them scuttled right past him below deck. 

Rey, for her part, sat on the rail with her face cradled in her hand. “So, this is what it is like to be the Captain of your very own ship, huh? Abject embarrassment at every corner. Delightful.”

He shook his fist at her before he cuffed his larger hand into hers and pulled her down from the rail. Rey let it happen, just like she was letting everything else concerning him happen. His hand was calloused in places, but also sea brine soft where it covered and entwined with hers. “Aye, with too much help from the likes of you. Emon'tu.”

The Knight pulled his hood back and Rey got a good look at the Nightbrother. She’d seen them before, of course, but not this close. He’d done something funny with the bony spikes that covered his head. They seemed to gleam iridescent, as if covered if liquid pearl. “You have the deck. Don’t come find me unless it’s dire.”

Emon'tu raised a brow. “Bothersome,” he snorted. He wandered to his cabin right next to Azer’s and shut the door.

Kylo Ren rolled his eyes before tugging on Rey’s hand. “Since you seem so awfully bored, come with me. There is something we need to do.”

Again, Rey followed his command, brow raised, but wordlessly trailed after him from the main deck to the quarter.

Her pirate, because for now he was her pirate, surveyed the deck. Rey looked, too, but she had no idea for what. No one remained except for poor Blajav and even he had abandoned the ferocity of his duties to stare out at the skyline of Theed. Kylo didn’t seem to mind that most of his crew were shirking their responsibilities but she also knew that they loved him for a reason—and maybe this was it. He didn’t run his ship like his crew were slaves under his boot. He ran it like a team. 

“You,” he said, and turned her head towards him with a finger to her chin, “carry around a dagger yet you are unable to defend yourself.”

Rey pulled her chin in because, stars! The absolute balls it took for him to say that to her face! “I think—no—I know I can handle myself.” She held up her fists and squared off, looking him in the eye. “I can fight as good as anyone”

Kylo Ren cocked his head to scratch at the back of his neck. “I know you can, Rey. You’re here. You’re strong, maybe one of the strongest people I know but…”

Rey dreaded what was on the other side of that word. “But what?” she growled.

“Your staff is fine but that and your fist are nothing compared to steel of a sword, or the burn of a lightsaber.”

“Well, good thing the only lightsaber in existence is lost forever! As if a lightsaber wouldn’t burn right through steel.” 

“Actually,” he said then made an abortive sound, his mouth opening before closing. “Nonetheless, let’s start with what we have.” He unsheathed a sword, different than the one from the forest. He rotated his wrist, the afternoon sun glinting off the sharp edge of the blade before flipping it in his hands and slamming the point it into the wood. “What do you know about sword fighting?”

Rey blinked. “Keep swinging until they die?”

Kylo Ren made a face at her, scratching his beard. “That’s the basis of it, yes but...”

He drew closer, hovering over her for a moment, gazing and accessing something before his hands fell to her shoulders. Gently, he turned her until she was standing in front of his sword. “On the way to Theed, you told me that you were terrible with a sword. Realizing you are terrible means that you know something about the fault in your technique. Pull the sword for the wood.”

Rey did as was told, her tongue poking the corner of her mouth as she wrapped both of her hands around the hilt. Ren glanced down at her grip, and nodded, finding something correct about the way she held it. With a grunt, she yanked the sword from the wood, rotating her wrist until she was standing with the blade centered before her.

Kylo Ren circled her, making noises that did nothing to indicate what he was thinking. She felt his heat before she felt his presence, as he stepped forward to gently kick his boot against hers to correct her stance. Rey froze when his hands snaked around her hips to line them up. His voice, gruff, deep, whispered past his lips. “Keep your elbows bent, close to your body.”

Rey swallowed harshly and nodded. Still, she looked up, then down. His hands were now on her waist, fingers tapping along to a beat she didn’t know. She cleared her throat, tried to pull him back to the lesson, and he chuckled in her ear before stepping back. Circling around until he faced her, he did nothing but smirk, which was both infuriating and intoxicating. She couldn’t do this with him looking like that, looking at her like that, so she averted her eyes so she could focus.

Then she yelped when something hard smacked against her wrist. Cursing, she dropped the sword.

“Rule number one,” he said. “Never take your eyes off your opponent.”

He was standing with a hand behind his back. In the other was a thin reed that he’d produced from stars knows where. “Pick up the sword and attack.”

Rey snorted. “You want me to attack you? I have a sword and you have a stick.”

“I should feel insulted. But I’ll have you know that I am far more dangerous with my hands than you think.”

This time she frowned. “You have a stick,” she repeated as if he was hard of hearing. “I don’t care how bad I am, this advantage feels unearned.”

“Trust me,” he said, his eyes sparking with challenge. “When I want something, I’ll use anything at my disposal. Even a stick.” He circled her like a shark zeroing in on his prey, trailing his fingers across the small of her back, down her arm, anywhere he could. “I like that you have the advantage. That you have something I don’t. Because when I get it, it’ll be all the more pleasurable.”

The sword dropped to Rey’s side. “This is ridiculous. I’m—”

“You have such pretty lips, Adorae,” he murmured.

Rey halted because, what? Just, what?

“If this bores you, I can think of a few things we could do instead.” He took one step closer to her and it was like he’d crossed the entire ocean. “We can call a temporary parley and discuss those matters. At length, nice,” and his gaze dropped back to her mouth, “and slow. For however long you need me to.”

Rey licked her lips, unconsciously, and Kylo narrowed at the motion. “Or.” He took a step back and raised his stick. “You can attack me like I requested of you.”

Rey wanted to move, she really did, but she couldn’t. Her hand clenched around the hilt, but she stood frozen. ‘I want...”

Kylo leaned towards her. “Yes?”

Nope. The words wouldn’t come. They were stuck somewhere between the warmth pulsing deep inside of her, sticky and wet, and her lips.

Kylo’s gaze darkened but a moment later, his lips twisted as if she was not only a distraction to herself, but to him. “C’mon wench, I don’t have all day.”

The warmth in her belly quickly, quickly, morphed into anger. She snatched the sword back up, returned to stance, this time pointing it at him. “We’ve discussed this. I have a name. Do not call me—” and Rey lunged forward, not really aiming for anything, just...moving like someone who held a sword.

Kylo took a step to the side, avoiding her easily. Rey’s borrowed sword flew past him and collided with the wall of a cabin. She began to yank the sword back, when the same pain she’d felt across her wrist, smacked against the back of her knees. “Rule number two: Know your opponent. Their moves, their tendencies,” he said as Rey spun and brought her sword back to guard. This time when he raised the reed, instead of hitting her with it, he ran it down her side, down her hip, and to her leg, slowly, until he could tap her leg. She glanced down, brought it back into the correct position. “And their bodies,” he murmured. “Know them before they know you.”

Rey tensed back on the ball of her foot to attack again when the reed came back down across her hand. “For the love—”

“Adjust your grip. One at the top and one at the bottom. Think of it as if you were holding a...” He trailed off and returned to guard. The reed ghost back up, trailing over her curves, then her arms. “Cucumber.”

This fucking guy. Rey shoved it away and pushed her hair out of her face. Pausing, she yanked the lacing out of her shirt and wrapped it around her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail.

“Ah! I see someone is serious now!” Kylo’s gaze was still accessing, but now she could read whether he was just fucking with her or impressed. This was both. “You’re so pretty when you are angry, sweetheart.” She was going to kill him. Kylo Ren raised his reed and had the gall to wink at her. “Attack me.”

Two could really play this game. “You know, “she said, choosing to circle him instead of doing what he wanted. He stood still, with only his eyes trailing after her. She had an opportunity to touch him as he had her, but unlike him, she cheated in a different way. “I’ve been thinking and thinking and...I can’t for the life of me understand why a man such as yourself would pay a woman to spend time with him?”

Kylo Ren’s brows bumped together in the middle of his forehead. “Come again?”

“I’m sure you ask all the ladies that,” she quipped. “I mean there must be something wrong with you. You’re handsome, brave, built like a tree, and you talk a very good game. So, why pay? Is there something fulfilling about shoving your cock down a pair of purchased lips?”

Kylo Ren’s eyes shifted with a burning, unreadable expression. “Be careful, Rey. You’re playing a very dangerous game.”

"I am a creature of danger,” she returned. “Otherwise I wouldn’t be sitting here with you learning how to wave sharp things at other people. Stop changing the subject. Is it because she can’t be yours? From what I’ve heard, Rose already has a lover. Two of them. What good would you have been besides a quick fuck and money in their pockets?”

Rey jerked from her own words, where they’d come from, spewing from deep inside of her. Was she angry? Why was her chest burning with something that felt like a dark cloud? It cleared her senses, but it muddied everything else up—her emotions, her words. Still, she pressed on. “She could have never been yours, Kylo Ren,” Rey all but hissed.

Kylo was silent, his eyes narrowed at her, but something about him seemed off balance. The way that he was breathing—heavy and affected—was probably the only opening she was going to get. Rey planted her foot and lunged deep, the sword aiming for his flank. Got you!

He did something with his feet and just like before, he was well out of range of her attack before she could come anywhere close to him. “Ataru,” he muttered as he came to a stop. “You should learn Ataru. It’s aggressive. Just like—” and he brought the reed down across the guard that had twisted in her grip and laid flat. Rey didn’t as much drop it as let it fall, let whatever force was pressing it down—something stronger than the reed—do what it wanted to do. The sword clanged and scattered across the deck, away from her. “—you.”

As soon as she was unarmed, Kylo Ren attacked, yet in a way Rey was not prepared to handle. He charged at her, big heavy stomps across the deck floor and she braced herself for the impact, but it didn’t come. Instead, hands—those hands—wrapped around her waist, tugging her into him, him and his space, and that scent of his. “You thought that would make me upset?”

There was a yelp, and belatedly Rey realized it was her. Her back was now against the column of a sailing rig and for the life of her, she couldn’t remember when that happened. When they’d crossed the space to get here, how he had two handfuls of her, how her legs were wrapped around his waist. It was as if her body knew what she wanted, knew that her brain would get in the way if it didn’t blank out that space where memory should have been.

“Want to know a secret?” he murmured against her ear. He pressed closer and her legs widened automatically, instinctively, as if saying this was the place where he belonged. Rey gathered her senses long enough to realize his lips were moving; therefore he was probably saying something.

“W–what,” she stammered. “A secret?”

“Yes,” he crooned. “You like those don’t you?” That statement was punctuated by sweet, sharp pressure between her legs. “That night was one of the greatest nights of my life. I have searched this world over for it, for her, and now that I have it, I promise you I’ll—never—lose—it—again.”

Rey was not going to think about that—what he was saying. Because his lips were saying one thing—that he wanted Rose, wanted someone else—but his body, stars, and his lips, and the feel of his hands, and the weight of his body as he pressed into her—divine—and how it all inscribed something ethereal into her skin, something she could not translate, said something altogether different.

“Any of this seem…familiar to you, Rey?”

Of course, it did. Like she could ever, ever forget. “Ben, I—” She gulped for air, for purchase, anything to tie her to her wits. Nothing. Nothing.

He pressed his forehead to hers, his dark eyes meeting with hers. “Rey,” was all he said.

“I,” she paused, steeled herself, let her fear not outweigh the need to confess. “I need to tell you something.”

“I know, Rey.” Whatever he’d been fighting won out he dipped closer to capture her bottom lip between his teeth, running his tongue across his bite to soothe. “I’ve always been listening.”

“We aren’t—” Say it, Rey. SAY IT.

“Strangers. Yes,” he said, implored really, the pleading in his eyes too salient to ignore. “But how. Tell me how, Rey. Please.”

You can do this. Do it for yourself. For Rose. For him. “That night—”

“Oh, come on! This is ridiculous!”

The spell didn’t break, but it fractured in a million places, only held together by the way Kylo was holding her. “Azer,” they both said as he came up the deck.

“I mean, really! Honestly, Captain! You have an entire cabin at your disposal, and you decide to play grab-ass on my deck? Perfect.”

“Actually, Emon'tu has the deck.”

“Yeah. Right. Emon'tu is downstairs making out with the cook. So, believe me, I’ve had enough of walking in on you people with someone else’s tongue down your throat!”

“Technically—”

“Do not finish that sentence. Please,” Azer said. He climbed the rest of the stairs and walked up to them, casually, like Rey’s neck wasn’t starting to blossom with love bites or her legs weren’t wrapped around his Captain’s hips. “We’ve met in passing but not the way we should have. I am Azer Ren, Second Mate, and Boatswain.”

"Hi,” she said. “I am...Rey. Just...Rey.”

"Rey. Just, Rey. I like it. Has a nice mysterious anonymous ring to it. I would shake your hand but…you understand?”

Rey wanted to melt in between the boards of the deck, filter down into some kind of primordial ooze and stick to the flanks only to be discovered a millennium later when she’d evolved back into a human.

“Captain,” Azer said, oblivious to Rey’s internal crisis, pointed back down the deck. “The cook, a term I use loosely, would like to speak with you concerning tonight’s menu. It seems the one I submitted to him isn’t adequate. Little does he know I don’t give a damn about what he finds adequate. And what backwater country did you find him on and how does “cooking very well” qualify him as a Knight?”

“Gramave could slice you into a million pieces with a spoon, Azer.”

“I bet my ass he couldn’t! Either way, if you could speak to that imbecile on my behalf, I would greatly appreciate it.”

Kylo grunted his displeasure. “I am a little busy—”

“—And,” Azer said, raising a finger, “I would like some time to get to know our latest guest as Naha Fey has. I would say as you have, but I don’t have any plans on dry humping—"

“Stop! I’m going! I’m going!” Groaning, Kylo gently lowered her to the ground. Rey teetered for a second because all the blood in her body had deserted her limbs and they protested being used again. “I’ll be back. Soon. Very soon.”

And then he was gone, leaving Azer and Rey alone.

The Knight spun towards her; his face stretched with a smile. “My stars, I thought he’d never leave. Stubborn man, that Kylo is.”

“Ah, yeah,” Rey said, scratching the back of her neck before she tried to straighten up what Kylo had disheveled. “Focused. He’s...focused.”

“Oh, I’d said that was an apt description of him.” He turned towards the port, a sneer gracing his otherwise handsome face. “I hate Theed.”

“I...I’m sorry?”

“You want to know why I hate Theed?”

Rey had heard some stories about Azer’s hate for it, but she wondered what new tale he was going to tell. “Ben—I mean—Kylo. No.” He paused and shook his head. “Ben,” he tried again, “Ben’s grandmother was from Theed. A queen. A great one.”

“Amidala,” Rey said. Padmé Amidala Naberrie Skywalker. She may not know much about Kylo’s past, but it was no great secret of his past and his lineage. “She married Anakin Skywalker. In secret.”

“Yes,” he said, his voice low and reverent. “Theed people—they talked and they talked and they built great monuments to her. They revere her. They also talked and they talked and they talked, when they thought no one could hear them. If any of her policies were influenced by Anakin’s darkness, if she was influenced by any of Anakin’s darkness. When Luke and Leia were born, Naboo was not eager to honor them the way they’d honored the children of the queens past. Leia had to scrap and scrape from her own seat in Alderaan—did you know they consider her a Princess there, too?—for it. And even then, they talked.

“When Ben was younger, it was horrible. Luke, in a plea to get his sister to agree to sending Ben to the House of Light—announced, rather publicly, that Ben reminded him of Anakin. Stars, what a scandal.” He exhaled loudly, bending down so his elbows laid across the rail. “It went all downhill from there, as you can imagine. Theed won’t even write his name in their archives. They are frightened of Kylo Ren but would never, ever let Ben Solo visit their lands without a fuss. The last time he was there, someone attempted to poison Silencer. Those people,” Azer hissed, “are filled with far more darkness than he is. Amidala, rest her soul, would be ashamed of them. Anakin would burn it to the ground. I would help.”

Out in the distance, as the Finalizer cut through the water towards its next destination, something deep and mournful wailing under the sea.

“They do not know honor but they will talk. And they do talk. All because they couldn’t stand one damn secret.”

Secrets. Rey was all too familiar with how secrets could destroy.

“I like you Rey,” Azer said a moment later, his voice still retaining that silk like quality that made it sound more like he was living in between layers of emotions than recounting his Captain’s past. “You like secrets?

Rey faltered for a second. “Like…is a very strong word.”

Azer hummed. “You’re good at them. It’s very special. You don’t see it often. Secrets are often exposed far too quickly for them to gain the traction they need to be ruinous. You are doing a fine job, however. Headed for ruin, I mean.”

Rey’s uneasy smile dropped into a frown. “I don’t think I know what you speak—"

"There is no issue with the cook, Rey,” Azer said, looking at her out of the corner of his eye. Blajav had returned to scrubbing, so the silence was filled with the harsh rubbing sounds of bristles against wood.

“Then why…”

“I said that because there is no Rose with a Coruscanti accent, or a Rose with emerald green eyes, or a Rose with the sort of nervous energy that puts people at ease and has an obvious lack of table decorum. There is a Rey, however, with that accent, and those eyes, and that sort of nervous energy. And of course, your inability for taking your time while eating.”

Rey paled, the blood dropping from her brain to the tips of her toes leaving her without the ability to form a sentence.

Azer turned to her, a smirk on his face, which dropped the moment he saw the expression on hers. “Oh, bugger shit. I didn’t—I didn’t say that to scare you. I—” He stepped closer and gently laid a hand between the space of her collarbones. “Breathe, Rey. I’m not going to reveal your secret or anything. That wasn’t my reason for doing this. I was just having fun with you and–and if you die, he’ll kill me so breathe. Please”

“H—how do you—you couldn’t possibly have seen me that night!”

Azer’s smirk returned, but it was softer, more of a lopsided smile. “I don’t miss much. As much as I adore my Captain and First Mate, he and Naha Fey might as well be the same person for all the attention they paid to the little things that night.”

Rey groaned and collapsed against the rail, sliding down until she was sitting with her head between her knees. “I’m such an idiot! What am I doing?”

Azer squatted beside her. “What did you think was going to happen?”

She clenched handfuls of her hair in between her fingers and tugged. What did she think was going to happen? “I was—it wasn’t supposed to be like this, I swear! It was supposed to be one night while Rose healed from a sickness! One night! And it turned into this.” She groaned again and her fingers tightened, but the pain felt good. Felt better than what she was feeling in her chest. “We’re heading for Alon next, aren’t we?”

“We are making a slight detour to the northern lands at Kylo’s request but soon after, yes.”

“So, I’m fooling myself. If I tell him, then I ruin many nights of careful planning. My friends, no…my family…I can’t ruin them in that way. But if I continue to be around him, I’m going to spill. Because he’s returning to her and I’m here, and I’m just a distraction, I know that. But…”

“Rey…”

“What am I going to do when I have to give him up?”

Azer sat back, his bottom lip worried between his teeth. “Do you… perchance…love him?”

Shit. Shit. Her bottom lip began to tremble and the tears began lining the lids of her eyes was probably all the answer Azer needed. The answer she needed.

“Oh,” was all Azer said. When Rey started crying, wailing, really, throwing her head back and stomping her feet like a child, Azer held up his hand. “Hey, Rey, a question. How do pirates know they are pirates?”

Rey stopped mid-wail and craned her head towards him, the vision of him blurred through her tears. “Huh?” she said, stupidly. 

“I said how do pirates know they are pirates?” He sat there with a patient smile as she wiped under her eyes.

“They....” It was a bizarre question, considering she thought her brain was going to snap under the weight of her situation. She eventually shrugged.

He grinned and bopped her on the nose. “They think, therefore they are.”

She blinked for a few moments before her mouth ripped open with loud, high pitched laughter. It was an unthinking laugh where everything melted away except for that stupid, stupid joke.

He stood and patted Rey on the head. “People think darksiders are ruled by our emotions. No,” he shook his head. “We allow them the room they need to grow. I cherish that—the freedom to explore and respect them. If there is something in your heart telling you to do something, do it. Listen to it. Trust it. It will serve you well, Rey.”

With that, he headed for the stairs. When Rey called out to him, he paused, looking back over her shoulder.

“Thank you,” she said, softly.

“Thank me?” Azer snorted. “No, Rey. Thank you.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys leave some of the funniest comments and messages. I love it.


	10. Wo & Rocklocked

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I was—as most of us were—drained by The Rise of Skywalker and I've been using good valuable writing time to explain to numerous of people on Twitter why it was a good, entertaining film if you like a canon-retconned-mess. 
> 
> And today has been a full month since I've seen it and thus, I'm back to writing.

Rey ran her hands down at the new set of clothing she’d been provided, wondering where they got such provisions in such a short amount of time. 

“Well,” she mused as she looked over shoulder and down her back, her reflection looking back at her in the bronze mirror. “There will be no mistaking me for a lady now.” 

Rey had heard of the Northern Lands, heard of their rough environment and what it took to survive there, but she’d never been. She’d never been north of Theed actually, traveling east to west and west to east to get to her next destination. It must be much, much colder than she thought.

When she’d woken this morning, a black shearling coat which a thick sheep’s wool lined hood. Her pants, layered, her shirt thick with long sleeves. Although these articles were much finer than her riding clothes, they didn’t exactly clue Rey into what Kylo had planned for today.

“Other than to freeze my butt off,” she muttered.

Per Azen Ren’s explanation, they were headed for mountain town of Ilum. He didn’t say why—of course— just that she, Kylo Ren, Kyryahi, and Phetra Ren were heading towards a “temple” in preparation for a ceremony that would happen at the feast.

“It’s a crystal thing. Resonation, recognition, reciprocity. You understand.”

No. No, she didn’t.

Neither Phetra nor Kyryahi were any help. They just smiled at her, like she was a noisy little kid while they finished their preparations. Fine. Rey may keep secrets, but she didn’t conceal riding plans!

Nonetheless, soon she and the others were riding away from The Finalizer and trudging up a complex route off the highroad towards Metellos that, after a few miles, would lead them to the Ilum temple.

The ride was familiar to Rey, felt familiar. Just her, her horse—well, not her horse, not Stormtrooper, but he would do—and the world around her. Quiet, full of life, even if that life was slowly, slowly being ensconced by ice and snow. Her life had never been this peaceful. Quiet. She wasn’t meant for a life of peace and quiet, but here, now, she could appreciate it.

The one thing they’d deigned to tell her was Kyryahi’s role. Kyrahai knew the road to Illum best, had made the trek often, leading Ren’s Knights time and time again to the city. Therefore, she rode ahead, sitting on a brown mare like it was her friend, bent over, whispering in the horse’s ear. 

Phetra kept up rear guard, which was good because it didn’t seem like she was in the mood for interacting with anyone. Kylo rode abreast of her in the center, their group forming a diamond stretched across the path.

For a while, it seemed entirely much too early to talk and her mood was much better than the first time she and Kylo traversed paths across Chandrila together. It wasn’t all quiet, not in the way most would think. Sometimes Rey would see some kind of snow creature, its coat almost blending in with the trees and snow capped branched. She would nudge Kylo, and he’d look over. He wouldn’t smile, maybe just the corner of his lips pulling up, but it was enough for her.

How nice it would be to be able to take these kinds of trips with him. Travel to the far reaches of the world—with him. And a child. A dark haired little girl with his mix of stoicism and laughter. Or a little boy with sandy hair and freckles who was not afraid to do what he had to do, like she had been all her life. But—no.

She saw him shifting, his head leaning over to look at her, as if he could feel the wildness of her emotions—maybe through that stupid magic bond he won’t tell her more about—and she looked away, feeling the heat of his gaze on the back of her head. 

There was no sense in dreaming dreams like that. Not when Alon was a few days away. So, no.

Metellos came and went, the only reason for their stopping in the lodging town was to get water for the horse and purchases even heavier clothing. Rey flexed her fingers in the thick leather gloves lined with the same shearling as her coat. Warm, but damn if she could move her fingers much.

Another hour into their trip, when it began to snow, first a light dusting, then something more substantial and thicker, the two Knights did something strange. They whipped out two masks, or better yet helmets, black as night. 

Phetra’s was a smooth obsidian with a rectangular slit across her eyes and series of square perforations along it, for breathing Rey guessed. Kylo’s was a work of onyx and silver shot through with red veins. When the moved to put them on, the masks made a hissing sound, like a hydraulic press, before their heads disappeared within the cool black metal.

Kyryahi had something similar, although not as sturdy, a fleece lined mask that covered the bottom portion of her face and hooked behind her ears.

Rey blinked at all of them.

“It gets cold,” Kylo murmured behind the mask, his voice taking on a weird, mechanical quality. He brought Silencer close enough so he could start rifling through the saddlebag he’d purchased her. Tugging, a black case covered in a red tinted filigree came loose. 

“I had this commissioned for you.”

He said it as if it were an explanation, that he would have any cause to get anything made for her. Rey could no longer see his eyes, but he tilted his head back as if he were examining her. “It should fit.”

Rey accepted the case, flipping it over in her hands a few times to find the mechanism to open it. Kylo reached over and pressed a button at the base and it opened slowly, like a flower blooming. Another black helmet that was almost identical to Kylo’s, except it—hers—was black and gold and without the red welded metal that kept his together.

Phetra grunted behind them and Kylo shot her a look. “I know what I’m doing,” he said.

“Never questioned that. We all know you know what you’re doing. Except for one person, that is.”

Kylo huffed, small clouds of condensation seeping through the perforations in his mask. Without another word, he lifted the mask and pressed a button just the nape. It hissed and if Rey hadn't heard the sound from before, she would have jumped.

“It’s a…Knights of Ren mask. It’ll keep the cold out.”

One of Rey’s brows rose. “Am I supposed to have this?”

“That doesn’t matter,” he said, almost irritated sounding. “Not yet,” he tried again, softer, with more patience. He nudged it closer to her. “Bend your head,” he whispered. Like this event was reverent, tradition, a ritual she had not the first clue about. 

The helmet was warm, but it didn’t overheat her face like she imagined. When it snapped into place, she didn’t feel like the walls were closing in on her. It felt strange, yes, but not constricting.

“You’ll get used to it,” was all he said, as if she would be wearing it often. It would be something that she would have to question later, because right now all Rey could focus on was the way Ren was looking at her, or rather, the fact that she could feel his gaze on her under the metal.

She tried not to think about it. Tried not to think how his actions sometimes didn’t match his words, or his words with his actions, either of them with the simple truth. No. Because this is just—no. She wasn’t going to do this. _This_. Act like….

They were going to complete this mission of his, and he was going to take her back to Keshla and their time would end. There really was no sense getting used to this. The sooner she started erasing him from her heart, the better.

The hiss surprised them both, Rey’s hands clutching the side of her helmet, her not realizing she’d made the decision until it was made. She put the mask back into the case, closed it, and stuffed it deep in the saddlebag.

“I haven’t earned that.”

There’s that head tilt again. “You don’t even know what you haven’t earned.”

True. But. “I’ll do fine without it, Kylo. 

“We’re back to that?”

“Yes,” she said, tugging her scarf higher around her chin. This was a dumb, dumb choice and if her face froze and cracked into a million little pieces, well then out of all the things she’d earned, she’d earned that. “I haven’t earned the right to call you Ben either. I may never.”

Kylo being behind a mask hid things from her. She had begun to catalog the emotions she’d find fluttering across his face like wind swept dandelions. The way his lip curled, brow rose, chin wobbled, eyes narrowed. How his cheeks were full and adorable when he smiled, even more when he laughed. How he looked enraptured. Sorrow. So, when he leaned towards her, high on Silencer, gloved hands clenched around the reins….

“You don’t get to tell me what you’ve earned or not earned when it comes to me.”

It was a snarl. He was upset. That’s…that’s fine.

Then he was…away from her, moving him and Silencer as far to the other edge of the road as he could. 

_Fine, _she thought as she tried to burrow further down into her scarves. It will work out the way it's supposed to work out.

She deserved to be cold.

Without any sort of briefing on what the goal for this trip was, Rey managed to hide her shock well when they came up to far stretching colossal ice mountain, capped with tapering sharp spires that disappeared into the clouds above it. She was too busy staring up at it that she almost was left behind as the rest of the party began leading the horses to a post near a sheared off section that blocked the wind. Kyryahi started a fire using stars knows what, and Phetra planted herself at the very edge of their camping area to guard. 

At least that’s what Rey imagined she was doing. She just looked cold.

“If we are unsuccessful, we will be back in a few hours. If not, the morning.”

Rey looked around, bewildered because she didn’t think they’d be splitting up. It was nearing nightfall and she wasn’t sure breaking the party up like this was a wise idea. Or it could be. She was the only one who looked uncomfortable with the plan.

“Rey. Let’s go.”

Oh. So, she was a part of the “we”. Perfect.

In silence, she followed him up a path that led to a yawning entrance ensconced in darkness. She heard the hiss of his helmet and then silence—no directions, no instructions, nothing. Rey was tempted to snort out a “You lost?” but the fear that he may be, frightened her more than saying something nasty to cover how hard her heart was beating. When she tripped on something—air most likely—she reached out to grab him to keep from face planting on the temple floor. To her surprise, he didn’t yank her hand away. Instead, his gloved hand covered her.

“Can’t see?”

Rey frowned. “Unless you’ve developed some sort of darksider capabilities in the last few days that allow you to see in the dark, then shut up.”

He chuckled and then there was a click and a sharp hum and then—and then…

Blue light was there, a beacon of azure that pushed the darkness away.

It was short—the vision— that tore into her mind, a hundred pictures being crammed and rearranged and shoved through her head all at once. She opened her mouth to scream, not caring if she brought the entire temple on their heads…but they vanished. The visions, the pressure, the pain. When her sight came back, Kylo was looking at her under the blue light of…a—

“Is that it? The l–lightsaber?”

He bent his head to get a better look at her. “It _does_ call to you. I…don’t know what that means. I don’t know if it—my heirloom and you…” He straightened, and Rey was able to see an emotion cross his face, something between confusion and hope. “I knew I was making the right decision. I mean I knew, Rey, but now. “He cleared his throat. “Yet, and still, you need your own.”

None of it, _none_ of it, _not one bit_, made any sense. Good old Kylo— cryptic as ever.

They continued to walk urged on by his gentle directions as he gave her an impromptu tour of the temple. “There are usually windows that let light in, but with no…Jedi… around, the temple has fallen to disuse. We can still get to the caves, however.”

“Jedi,” Rey repeated, listening to her voice bounce around the antechamber. “Your uncle and the House of Light? So, they are real? Not just beings they pray to Chandrila?”

“_Beings_,” Kylo snorted. “They aren’t…praying. That’s—it’s complicated.”

“I think we have the time for complicated.”

Kylo stopped abruptly and laughed. “These steps are going to be dust by the next millennia.” He took a step up then another, bringing her along. “Be careful. The main chamber should be up this way.”

It wasn’t long before they were stopping again. “Places like these are conduits for the Force. Do you,” and he turned to her again. “You know what that is right?”

Rey nodded, glad to be able to finally answer a question. “It's a power the monks—Jedi—have that lets them control people and... make things float.”

It sounded like a sneeze or a snort, but it _quickly_ evolved into deep giggles, then outright laughter. Rey glared up at him and punched his arm. “If you’re so smart, you tell me what it is.”

“It’s,” Kylo said, voice still ringing with laughter. “It’s life, Rey. This place is a conduit for life. Not just life full of light or a life shrouded in darkness. Life. It makes no distinction. When I was younger, my uncle told us all when we joined the Temple, we would visit this place one day. It was called the Gathering. We would come, find our own kyber crystals and be attuned with the Force and bring glory and balance to the House of Light. Which didn’t make any sense—I’d never heard of a House of Dark, so how could we be helping bring balance? So, I came here, and did what I needed to do, on my own. Not for the House or for my uncle or the world, but for me.”

He reached into his shirt and pulled free the red kyber crystal she remembered hanging from his neck the night she pretended she could have him. 

“But mine—it was corrupted. By me. It turned red and cracked. At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I was going to inherit this, so what did it matter if this one was a dud? My uncle thought differently. Told me _I_ had corrupted it.”

He sighed and tucked it back. “I left shortly after that because I didn’t want to be surrounded by people who thought I would eventually poison them all with my corruption.”

Rey knew Kylo’s story, he’d told her in bits and pieces, but it was always informational. I left on this day. I became a pirate that year. I am a darksider. Short, blunt. Here, with his voice deep and planative, the way his shoulders drooped as he thought about his past, Rey couldn’t help it. She touch his chest, right below his crystal. “I’m sorry, Be–I mean. Kylo. I’m sorry that happened to you.”

They didn’t have the light from the windows and Kylo said that the temple would not react to his darksider powers. So, he simply carved his way through the ice that covered the entrance to the crystal caverns.

“My life was a dream compared to yours Rey. I’m just—” he sighed. “This place makes me thing. Every time I come here. I’m…over it.” His hand covered hers, his thumb caressing the back of her wrist and Rey allowed it, because he looked like he needed it. “I’m…sorry I snapped at you.”

Rey looked up at him, up, and up, to his eyes, his features ethereal under the blue light of the blade_. I could love you for a million lifetimes, Ben._ Her smile felt weak, but at least it was there. “You…don’t need to apologize for that. You don’t need to apologize for _anything_.”

“Maybe,” he said, staring out into the glittering caverns beyond them. “Sometimes I explode. I get worked up. It crawls under my skin and—I never want to take it out on you.”

Rey tilted her head. “Then don’t. But you can share it with me. I’m always—” She stopped before she said something stupid.

Kylo’s head snapped down to hers. “You’re…” he swallowed, Adam’s apple moving as if he were ingesting her words. “You’re always what?”

“I’m,” she took a step back and looked around. “…Wondering what we are doing here!”

Kylo sighed. It was a heavy, forlorn, frustrated thing. He dropped her hand and about face. Just beyond them were the glittering caves of Ilum temple—the Crystal Caves. “Apparently getting a force sensitive woman her kyber crystal is what we’re doing.” He thumbed towards the next entrance. “Come on before we freeze to death.”

Rey found out quickly that Azer was a different sort of party planner. She surveyed the party from a corner of a ship, her hand twirling her new kyber crystal hanging between the folds of her blouse, warm against her skin, brow rose. While she’d expected feast and all the finery that came with such an occasion, what’d she’d walked into was less feast and more controlled chaos. 

Controlled was being generous. 

She surreptitiously moved to the side as some drink spilled from someone’s cup formed a wet beeline towards where she was standing. Plates? No, everyone was eating with their hands as they stood around the deck. And stars, there was enough cursing being thrown around that Rey felt herself blushing.

Paige was balanced on the starboard rail, bellows stretched between her hands, fingers flying over the keyboard touch. Rey didn’t recognize the song but there was something about Paige that reminded her of someone. Her eyes, her height, the tilt of her smile. It was almost scary. An older Rose, but—nah. Rose never mentioned any siblings.

Tallie, the ship’s Chronicler, sat at her feet, staring up at the lively young woman like she was shitting credits out of her ass. Someone from the crowd called out a song and Paige, delighted as she was, would play it, her figuring dancing up and down the rails with a balance that was almost unnatural.

“It’s good you’re smiling.”

Rey looked over her shoulder. Leaning on the mast was Naha Fey, a huge leg of some sort of meat fisted in her hands. “This is amazing,” she gushed as the First Mate came abreast of her. The deck smelled like the food, fowl and gravy and spices. A fucking mess. Familiar. “On Jakku, there was one night every couple of months where Plutt would leave the slaves be.”

“Unkar Plutt?”

“You know him?”

“Unfortunately,” Naha sniffed. “He would try to sell him goods off on us but I saw who was getting these goods and I—” She shook her head. “He had good enough sense to let you all let loose?

Rey nodded. “We made it this big thing. So many cultures and races dancing hard, dancing like our lives depended on it, bodies lit up around a bonfire, trying hard not to think about how hard the next day would be. If we would eat. If this was all the joy life would give us. This is…”

“A time to forget our worries. We’ve always known how to have a good time.” Naha Fey placed a hand on her elbow. “Do you want to dance?”

She balked, raising her hands in protest. Rey could do a lot of things, fight, lie, stab a man to death, but dance—no. _No_. Not that any of it mattered to Naha Fey. Before Rey could dig her heels into the floor, Naha was already pulling her out to the lantern brightened main deck under the eyes of Kylo Ren’s crewmen.

The hooting and hollering was almost immediate. A few of them stopped and formed a loose circle around them, like predators hungry for entertainment. Naha Fey ignored them all, instead bowing low in front of Rey.

“This is really—you don’t—in front of all I can’t…”

“Now, Rey. While the crew was busy regaling you with stories of our dear Captain, don’t think the Captain hasn’t told me a few stories about you. You most certainly can.” She straightened; yellow eyes expectant. “It’s fine, my lady. I’ll help you. To belong. Trust me.”

“Alright. Don’t stay anything when I step on your toes.”

Naha laughed. “Kylo and Emon'tu once dropped half a statue on my feet. They can take it. Now, if you will?” And she held her hand out. Rey sighed one last time before putting her hand in Naha Fey’s purple one.

“Wonderful. Paige, dearest. Do you know _Grotthu _dance?”

The word didn’t mean anything to Rey, not on the surface, just weird sounds that Naha and Kylo and the rest seemed to put together with a lingering ease but still, hearing them, as with all the other words, strummed something deep in her chest. but it strummed a feeling deep in her chest, heavy, but powerful. “Grotthu?” She shook her head. “S…slave?”

“Very, very good Rey,” Naha said, like Rey was always supposed to know what that word meant. In the background, Tallie began the first few notes and Naha maneuvered them into their first position. “It’s a class of the Sith, the lowest, yet the most numerous. Culled from the Massassi, a fierce warrior race. See, Rey, sometimes they smother what is stronger than them. Like you, on Jakku, they would celebrate the smallest drops of freedom they could get. Because they were fierce and strong and, in their hearts, free. Like _you_. And they did it through dance. For what is fighting but dancing?”

Rey, moved by the words, opened her mouth to ask more about the Sith, but Naha Fey flung her out like a wet rag, and Rey was twirling her out away from her, before snapping her back close again. They collided and Rey laughed.

“They were a…brutish race, thus this dance is…rough.”

“I see!” Rey yelled, still laughing. “I can take it! Let’s go!” From that point, Rey did everything in her power to keep up with the Keshiri woman. By the time the song ended, they were both sucking in mouthfuls of air, Rey dipped across Naha Fey’s knee, and the Knight riling the crewmen up for more applause. 

Their danced spurred the rest of the crewmen to action. Paige was really in her groove, parading around the deck, fingers flying up and down her accordion, with Tallie clapping in time. Even Emon’tu and Kodzai joined in, the youngest flinging the taller Knight around like a ragdoll. Phetra’s eyes danced from over the lip of her wine chalice while Kyryahi ran her fingers through the Knight’s hair, grinning like a tokacat.

Rey felt _alive_, like she could drop all her worries, her identities and just dance until she couldn’t anymore.

She felt free. On this ship, she felt free.

This was either the smartest or quite possibly the dumbest thing he’d ever done. And that was saying a lot, the most actually, because Kylo didn’t make rash decisions, he just didn’t. He took his time. His thought things through. He was patient, to a fault.

But this wasn’t about thinking. There was _nothing_ to think about.

“They like her,” he murmured, staring out over the riot below. “They _hated_ Bazine.”

“Bazine was easy to hate. She wasn’t exactly,” Azer seemed to grope for a word. “…friendly. Oh! And her frequent attempted assassinations on this ship.”

Kylo cleared his throat. “Right.”

“Not sure what you saw in her.”

“I—”

“She didn’t even smile. How do you not smile? Like, ever?”

“Azer.”

“We do like _her_,” he finished. “Rey, that is. I’m not sure where you found here—well, actually, I do, I was there but she fits. The light in her, how she cradles the dark.” Azer glanced over at her. “Does she know?”

“A little, although I’m not good with words. Luke,” and he gnashed his teeth. “Luke could tell her better. He’d be a better master. My Mother would be a better master than me. I wish Yeesini was still alive. That man was as grey as they come. And I miss him. I remember…when he told me about my Dad—how sick he was—how he relieved me of my duties and my obligations to go home and be with him. One last time. Dad didn’t know it, but he was grey, too. Enough dark in him for Mom, enough light in him for me. Just…just like her.”

Kylo shook his head. It was supposed to be a celebration. Not…not this. But… “Do you think I’m being an idiot?”

Azer laughed and held up the flask, shaking it a bit, and they both listened to the content swoosh around inside. “You’ve always been rather stupid—this isn’t the first and this isn’t the last.” Azer’s smile softened as his Captain looked over his shoulder, his face pulled tight with worry and doubt. 

“But, Kylo,” Azer continued. “Ben. Ari. _Chirikyât_—you’ve never, ever led us wrong. Tonight, is no different. If she is your equal, then she is our mistress.” The Second Mate of The Tempest placed the flask in his hands. “Your heart has always sung to you in the darkest shades of black. It is painful, and it is heavy, but it is your truest song. Sing it for her.” He paused and placed the flask in Kylo’s hand. “She will sing back.”

Kylo Ren sat back as Azer descended the stairs. Just beyond him was Rey, his Rey, smiling, laughing, looking like the first drink after a journey barefoot through the desert.

Yes.

This was the right thing.

Following Azer’s footsteps down to the main deck, Kylo Ren cleared his throat loudly. Naha Fey’s steps faltered as she twirled Rey around for the third time. His First Mate, his best friend, looked up him, pale yellow eyes twinkling. “Look who has decided to join us!”

Kylo Ren snorted. “Good thing I did! Naha, Naha, Naha,” he tsked. Naha put her hands on her hips, winded, and stared at him, expectant and cautious. “That is not how you dance with a lady.”

It was Naha’s turn to snort. “I don’t have the equipment do dance with her properly. And if I did, I’m sure I’d be less a head or a cock. Or both, depending on who you asked.”

The crewmen erupted with laughter and Naha ate it up.

“And that’s not how you speak in front of one, either, you foul mouth banshee!” Azer yelled, gathering more laughter.

“Yeah, yeah!” Naha Fey turned to Kylo Ren, brow raised, hands out in entreaty. “If you think you can do a better job then, by all means…” She took a step back, glancing back at Rey. “Show us.”

Rey watched the exchange, looking bemused, even as he approached. He watched for her reaction—he wanted her to find him attractive, suitable, appealing. He suspected she did, but tonight was special. He’d shaved, put on some of his finest black attire, and he’d even let Kodzai wash his hair in that…whatever the hell it was. He was rewarded, watching her inhale sharply as he stood before her.

“So, the talented Kylo Ren dances, too?”

He pulled close to her, hovered over her, forcing her to lean her head back. “Yes, I do,” he breathed before winking at her and stepping away.

He turned to his crewman and held up his flask.

The noise on the deck became non-existent. People stopped eating, dancing, talking, all their attention on what he held in his hand.

“My crew, my brothers, my Knight in arms. I’ll trust you all know what this is,” he said as he eyed the damask decorated flask. “I understand what it is, and what I’m asking of you. I understand what it means, and I understand that this will bind not only me, but each and every last one of you so long as you all are in this world, drawing breath. And I hope, and I trust you believe me when I say that I have never had the desire nor the privilege of wanting to share this with anyone else, as the Captain before me has, and some of your mentors have. But before you all—my family—I have come to this decision with your help.”

He looked at her now, beautiful under the night’s stars, in her black and red, the kyber crystal glowing faintly against a sea of freckles on her chest. His hand dropped to the cork and he wrestled it free. “And I want you to know that nothing I do tonight is done in jest. I have never been more serious in my life. And I have you, here with me, to witness it.”

She nodded, looking unsure, and a part of him reveled in her confusion—petty, he knew but he couldn’t help it sometimes. Yet, the Rey he knew, _his_ Rey, would eventually come to see this as another adventure, full of danger and excitement. He popped the cork, looked out of the crewman again, all of them wide eye with anticipation, leaning forward as he tipped his head back, chugging down the bitter concoction to the very last drop.

He held the flask up in the air, then placed it on the ground before reaching for his own cracked kyber crystal. Rey’s fingers went to hers, her tiny hand wrapping around it.

“_Shâsot_,” he whispered.

“Passion?” she said, her eyes narrowed, wincing, as if the translations were coming to her unbidden.

“Yes,” he whispered. Then the sharp edge of the kyber crystal was racing across his palm, slicing through the skin and drawing blood.

Rey gasped, her fingers leaving her crystal, reaching out for him. “You idiot! What in the star’s name is wrong with you?” She grabbed his hand, looking at the cut like she was a trained healer before yanking off the length of ribbon tied at the base of the braid trailing over her shoulder. Once, twice, Rey wrapped the fabric around his fresh wound.

One day she’d learn Force healing and he was sure she’d learn it before he did.

As she tied it off, in his periphery, Kylo could see his crew glancing at one another, faces lit in awe, before one lone pirate threw his head back and bellowed at the moon. The others caught the call and answered it until it was all you could hear.

Rey looked at them as if they’d lost their minds. Her mouth, trembling in anger, worry, parted to, Kylo didn’t know, scream at them, command them to _help,_ but he grabbed her chin and kept her face turned towards him.

In the background, the accordion began anew, a slow melody that was deep, sultry, expressive, and dark.

Kylo Ren’s hand slipped up her side and rested just above her hip, while his injured hand captured hers. Rey, sweet, _sensible_, Rey tried to snatch it away but Kylo tightened his grip. “That must hurt! Let’s sit down somewhere so a healer or a medic can look at that. Mitaka! Mitaka is still aboard! He can—”

“No.” He brought her hands to hip lips. “I _must_ have this dance,” he murmured and before she could protest again, he dipped her low, bending her backwards before snapping her back into his embrace.

“Lady Adorae Kira Kenobi,” he pleaded, he almost hissed, overcome. “I am going to lead. Are you willing to follow me?”

It could have meant anything. Surely, every instance where Rey had followed him had almost gotten her killed and every instance she had led had been much better. But…she didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

He pressed closer, fitting her along him, their blacks seeming to meld together in the low light.

The dance itself was measured and tantric, Kylo Ren’s form leading Rey in small loops around the floor’s deck.

It was their first dance as _Wo_

As one.

As rock locked. 

This was a trial, a process, tradition.

Wo—a drink, a cut, then a dance.

The flask—passed down to him from his father and blessed by Yeesini Ren—Kylo Ren had drank from contained enough various ingredients to make it tolerable on the tongue, but the main source of its ‘power’ came from a seasalt stone called halite. It was a stone borne from the sea and tasted of the sea, brine and foam and depth.

It symbolized that Kylo Ren belonged to the sea.

The cut was to carve a path into his life for someone to enter. That person closed the path by tending to the wound, so that they may only go forward, never back.

It symbolized they belonged together.

The third was the dance, to see if that one person would follow them down that path, forever.

It symbolized they would be entwined for their entire lives.

So, unbeknownst to Rey, by pirate tradition, they were Wo—the pirate equivalent of marriage.

One half of it anyways. He was sure she’d eventually return the favor.

He’d tell her that later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Wo came from two sources of inspiration. Wo in Sith is "One."   
Also, when I was writing my first novel, I wrote how one character had a background in fighting the (Wo)kou, a term for Japanese pirates. 
> 
> So, yes! PIRATES and SITH language!


	11. be with me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry! That's all I got is sorry! I'll do better! :)

.

The inside of his cabin has always been…too much for Kylo. The gold and the polished ebony and the silks—it never said enough about him. Sure, he’d be raised in such comforts, used to the splendor he was afforded as the only son of the most powerful senator in Chandrila but he was more than this.

Not to say that he disliked it. He worked damn hard and deserved to live a life of such opulence. They all did.

His main preoccupation with his cabin right now was if…Rey liked it. She’d been here before, plenty of times, but never with any word of critique—“_This_ is obnoxious,” or a “Must be nice,” or a “I could live in this cabin my entire life.”

Because that’s what he wanted. For this to feel like a home. If not, he’d build her one, close to the coast so he could always get to her. Hell, he’d build her an entire ship of her own, call it Kira’s Conquest or something sappy and trite like that.

He’d give her _anything _she wanted. The entire world. All because she took his hand.

Speaking of his hand…

“What exactly did you think you were doing, cutting yourself like that? And then, of course, you turn Mitaka away when it took me half an hour to track him down!” she huffed, arms across her chest, refusing to look at him.

“It doesn’t hurt, Rey. It only stung for the brief second and now I don’t feel a thing. However, you can fuss over this small cut to your heart’s desire.” 

She snorted sharply, air ruffling the wisps of hair that had fallen from her braid. She grabbed his hand and inspected it like maybe he’d cut the damned thing off and she was staring at a stumb. Grumbling, she pulled the tie from his palm, her lips twisted as a line of dried blood clung to the fabric. When it came loose, it revealed a wound not at all worth the hassle. To him, anyways. Rey took the tie and dipped it in a basin of water sitting on his study and cleaned the cut up, paying more attention to her task than how he was gazing at her. That he was looking at her at all.

“Don’t do things like this,” she demanded, running her finger along the cut.

Kylo tilted his head to the side, amused. “Like what?”

“Like this!” And she threw the tie at him. “It scared me! You damned pirates and your total lack of regard for safety! you could have at least warned me before you sliced your hand open like a lunatic. Giving me a fright.”

He opened his mouth to toy with her because it flustered her, and he liked her flustered. Instead he said, “Thank you.”

Rey looked up at him sharply, making a disapproving noise in the back of her throat. Then she was looking away again, around the cabin, at the floor, at her shoes, everywhere but him. Still, she gently placed his hand back in his lap, patting it had been a good patient. “Well! Now that I see you aren’t _dying_, I think I’ll retire for the night. Thank you for the...festivities. It was lovely.” With her eyes locked on her own feet, she took slow, cautious steps backwards towards the door, her hand reaching back for the knob.

“The key isn’t going to work,” Kylo Ren said, chin in his good palm, his eyes lazily traveling from the door to her hand where she’d produced a small bronze key for her room. 

Her eyes flicked up, narrowed, brows furrowed. “And why wouldn’t it?”

He shrugged. “Because I had the lock jammed,” he said standing, and moving to sit on the edge of his study. “You said you wanted a room, but you didn’t say how long you would need it.”

The look she gave him wasn’t flustered, but sour as she flung the key somewhere in the darkness of his cabinet. “One born with good sense would have known I meant for the duration of my stay.” She held her hand out. “Give me a key to another room.”

Kylo Ren tsked and he folded his arms across his chest. “I’m afraid I can’t do that.”

“I don’t see why. You’re the bloody captain.” He answered her with a non-committal hum. “Then where exactly should I stay, then?”

He’d answer that question in a moment. Instead, he rose, approaching her with intention, yes, but his pace was slow enough that she could leave if she wanted to. “See, I’ve made the mistake before of letting you out of my sight once before. What makes you think I would _ever_ do it again?”

She looked unimpressed by his speech, but not disbelieving. And she didn’t move, letting him get close. She didn’t stir when his breath glanced across the top of her head nor when he could tell she felt the weight of his stare. A small hand plopped against his chest before turning right side up. She tapped her palm with a finger. “Give–me–another–key.”

He pulled one out of his pocket—he didn’t know which room it went to, he’d just grabbed it from a pile of keys Kodzai had dumped on his study after jamming the lock, mumbling about a mad man. Still, if she truly wanted to leave, then he’d hunt down the door for her. He’d even give her his bed and sleep on the deck. He held the bronze key up, waving it back and forth before dropping it in her hand, then curving her fingers around the it. She looked up at him, smug, but he heard her sharp inhale as she finally locked eyes with him. 

He could imagine what he looked like—love struck stupid. Kylo had always been an expressive man, an emotional boy. He’d learned to hide them behind a mask, theoretical and practical, but he didn’t, _wouldn’t_, hide anything here. Not from her. 

“I’ll wait for you, Rey,” he implored in the quiet of his cabin—theirs—reaching behind her and locking the door, the thud ringing sweet with the blessed finality of his decision. “Whatever it is, I’ll wait. I don’t care and I haven’t for a long time. You don’t have to be honest with me, but please, be honest with yourself. Gather your courage. Hell, I’ll give you mine. I’ll lead and all you have to do is follow. You _promised_.”

“Ben…” she said, sounding half exasperated, and half lost and confused. “You—”

“No, Rey. Please…” His hands, they came up on their own, just wanting to touch her in some small way. Slowly, patiently, he caressed her braid before gently undoing each plait. Her hair smelled like honey and smoke and cherries and sea salt, a pleasant albeit peculiar arrangement of fragrances. He paused, giving her a chance, always giving her a chance to run, then ran his hands through her hair, chasing the strands down her back. She whimpered as he did so, and the look in her eyes told her that she needed just a bit more courage. 

“You are so soft, Rey.”

Kylo stopped when he felt her hand on his wrist, her body trembling. “Ben…we aren’t strangers. I’m—”

“So you’ve said. But I think it’s been established that we aren’t strangers. So why is that so important to you?”

“Because…I’m—I can’t be who you _want _me to be! I’m fooling myself thinking this can last when I’m not—”

The word on her lips was Rose, and without embarrassing her, without forcing her, he couldn’t tell her that he hadn’t thought of Rose, had no lingering feelings for the courtesan, not since he fell for her. All of this could be solved if he could just _tell _her—admit that now he has been lying just as long as she has! He guessed they were both fools in that regard. And he was scared, so scared of how she would react when confronted with such information. So all he could do was make her understand. 

“You can’t be yourself? Because that’s who I need. That’s who I want—_you_ are who I want. Be this creature of danger you say you are and be with me.” He pressed forward until her back was against the door, until the entire length of his body was against hers. “Be with me, Adorae”

“Adorae.” She looked up at him, her body slumping forward as if the breath she blew out was a sigh of relief, the feeling of the weight off her shoulders. “You said Adorae.”

He’d never met anyone so stubborn, and frustrating, and dimwitted when it came to what was right in front of her eyes. 

“Yes. I said Adorae. I _meant _Adorae.” He tipped her chin up, trying to put all the want he felt for her into his eyes. “Be with me, Rey.”

Her first nod was slight, so small that he almost missed it. Yet, he needed her to be sure, so he bent his head, staring directly at in her eyes, waiting for her mettle to kick in.

Eventually, a sort of confidence transcended her, shackles of her insecurity—all bourne from a loneliness he could understand—fell away. The woman he’d met in the forest was back. “Yes, Ben.”

When Rey was still a little girl and her father was still alive, he would take her to the cliffs of Stewjon and make her…float. Above the rocks, above the trees, and the animals, and the sea below. As an adult, she never understood how he did it, what power her father had, but she was a little girl and her father was magic. After his death, in her insurmountable grief, she’d wandered out to the Stewjon cliffs and decided to see if she could float again.

She knew she couldn’t but what would happen if she took that first step? 

Falling could feel like flying. 

Rey did not fall. Her foot hovered over the open air as if she’d simply take a step off the path. Another step and she was air and seawind and magic—her father’s magic.

Hours later, after she’d woken up in her own bed, her cousin glaring down at her, Rey knew that her father’s magic was still alive, within her, a treasure she could always keep, even if she didn’t know how to use it, or what it was.

She vowed, right then and there that she would find someone who would make her feel like she was floating, that the world was beneath her, and that he could give her wings. And to him, she wanted to give him feathers so he could fly with her.

Right now, Rey was floating.

Their first kiss was a thing of lust. Rey, not really in search of anything cosmic or mind blowing, just to get through the night unscathed, held no expectation of romance, but wanted the possibility of losing herself in the throes of being someone else. Someone important to another living soul. 

Their second, she barely remembered, with her clinging to life, then him, then the sweet kiss of oblivion sleep brought. 

The third, was all him, toying with her in this very cabin, dangling the metamorphosis of their relationship above her like a kitten wanting catnip. 

This one wasn’t fierce and hungry like the first, desperate like the second, or playful like the third.

This kiss was a combustive bubbling brew of all three and Rey’s mind _exploded_ with the taste of him. Soft, because Ben’s lips were soft, and she felt soft pressed against him. Playful, as his nipped at her bottom lip, heat flashing in her belly and lower and lower. Desperate, because she _needed _this—his kiss, his acceptance of her, something she could call her own. This was all she needed—his body against hers. As they were meant to be.

Rey couldn’t help the whimper when, as she licked against the seam of his mouth, his indulgence of her request, opening himself up to her, chasing after her lips until she was pressed against the door with nowhere else to go but into him.

“Mine,” he said, his voice whisper soft, as he broke then kiss, his hands cupping her face with this look of astonishment, as if he couldn’t believe this was happening. His surprise, surprised her, because she was the one living in a fantasy. The fact that he also craved this thing between them made her knees useless, and she felt her legs give way, but Ben was there, making sure she did not fall.

Magic. It felt like magic. 

He swept her into his arms, only breaking their kiss to nibble along her ear, whispering silly sweet nothings about her hair and her face and her lovely smell and just how damn good she felt in his arms. They barely made it to the bed, Kylo almost tripping up the steps in his blind rush to lay her down.

Then it slowed, a rushing white rapid reduced to a steady strickling stream. He stood at the edge of the bed, and his slow, focused appraisal of her almost made her squirm. Almost. But Rey was _not _a shy woman, and she recalled all of the lessons Rose taught her. She met his stare with one of her own, trying to endue the passion she felt in her lingering gaze.

“The first time I saw you, I thought you were a crazy woman,” he said as his hands trailed down her legs to her boots, removing one, and then the other. “Hair all over your head, this wild, feral look in your eyes. But it was your eyes, you see. There was always something about your eyes.”

“And you were pissing on a tree,” she teased. “I got an eyeful that night.” She sat up on her knees, her hands mimicking his, tracing up large power thighs until she could cup him in her hands. He jumped, but Rey held tight to his tunic, keeping him from moving. “If I hadn't been so…bothered, I would have been impressed, you know.”

“R—really…” he gulped.

“Big bad pirate screeching like that,” she purred, cupping him more firmly. It jumped—his cock—and although Rey was pretending to be a temptress, she actually felt like one in that moment. She felt _powerful_. And with that power came the temptation to make him do that again, and again, and….

Kylo frowned. “You scared me! It was the middle of the night.”

“I know,” Rey said, stretching up to graze her lips against his, her fingers running along the seam of his crotch. “But like me, you are a creature of danger. Nothing scares you. Not truly.”

Suddenly, her hand was captured by his, tight around her wrist. He pulled her hand away from him, and up to his lips, where he took his time kissing each knuckle. “You’re wrong,” he whispered, low and dark. “When you went overboard, when I thought I might lose you…I’d never been more afraid in my life. I wonder what I have to do to make you understand that I can’t lose you, not now, not ever.”

Rey wondered when this great change came about. He was a man so his gaze on her naked form at The Crazed Kowakian had been expected. His jealousy with Matt, predictable, his questions and confusion while lying amongst the treetops in Endor, annoying. 

Even his attempted rescue of her spoke more of obligation than desire.

“Is that when…” _When you started to want me back_, she didn't say. 

His lips were posed to kiss her knuckle again, except this time, his mouth parted, and Rey felt his breath, this his tongue, then his lips grazing the side of her finger, then her wrist. “Is that when I realized I loved you?” He pressed an incredibly soft kiss to her palm. “Yes.”

Rey’s brows shot up. “L—love?”

“Yes. Love. An intense feeling of deep affection, the feel a deep romantic or sexual attachment to someone. Love, Rey.”

“I—I,” Rey stammered, overwhelmed, confused, surprised. Wanting to sleep with her was one thing but..._love_? The man that she loved...loved her back? No, no. That’s—

“I want you to lay down, love,” he stressed, sweetly. “Because I can see the stubborn wheels turning in your lovely stubborn head. You don’t believe my words, so I will show you. Lay back.”

She did as he asked, laying in the silk and furs of his bed. He followed her, his large, warm, solid body descending until he was back to where he belonged, to where she loved him best, against her. “I’m going to lead, are you willing to follow?”

Rey answered by reaching up to kiss his chin, her hands untangling with his to wrap them around his neck. This time Ben’s kiss is demanding, insistent, like he had something he needed to prove to her.

He proceeded to worship her body after that, peeling back layers of clothing and her vulnerability like delicate foil wrapped around a piece of chocolate. His mouth was hot on her neck as he plucked at the strings holding her blouse together, pulling them through the loops and tossing it over his head. His hand—a wonder, a marvel unto themselves—slid down to the hem of her shirt, his fingers tickling her as they rose steadily, and steadily, until the shirt was up and over her head, joining the strings.

Breast band was next, and it took a bit of wrestling between the two to get the damned thing off. She’d burn it if she could. She kept her kyber crystal on, relishing in the darkness, the hunger it provided. 

He took a long, dazed moment, looking at her modest offering, but the way his hungry eyes were glued to his chest, Rey guessed he liked small delicacies. Either way, his grip around her waist was almost bruising as he lowered his head to her chest.

It was amazing. All they’ve done up until this point was kiss and fondle and touch each other—the antics of teenagers–so she couldn’t explain just _wet _she was, her thighs clenching around drenched underthings, her core throbbing, eyes fluttering. How exactly was she supposed to survive if this—_this_ has her so close to an orgasm she could pass out?

Her grip on his shoulders tightened as he opened his mouth to flick his tongue across the hardened pebble and she inhaled sharply. One hand sought to go lower, burning a path with every patch of skin he touched, dipping under her waistband and landing between her legs. By the time his fingers parted her slick folds, she was dizzy—it was _so _much, too much, not—but still wanted more. And he gave it to her, fingers dipping and grazing and Rey throbbed and clenched as his thumb circled her clit. She guided him through it, moaning here, sighing there, until he found a rhythm. 

“_Rhak-skuri,” _he hissed and something in her mind whispered. “Dream singer” He slid one finger in, then two, and when she clenched around them, Ben groaned out a desperate and sweet, “_My kintik,” _ as he moved like some kind of well-oiled machine, his mouth and things work their absolute evil magic on her. ”_My sweet kintik_. So tight,”

_Blackest. _She felt it—Ben’s darkness, just as she felt it in her own soul. But together, they made light. Magic. 

“Every part of you,” he rasped against the soft skin just under her breast. “Every part of you,” he repeated, his words nonsense in the grand scheme of things, but Rey was able to parse out what he meant, his babbling making sense to her in an instinctive kind of way.

“You can have it,” she hissed,” her hands pawing at her pants, trying to push them down. “Just—get me out of these already!”

“As my Captain wishes,” he husked, right before helping her divest of the rest of her clothing. He paused, eyes lingering over her body now that it was completely bared to him. He tapped her kyber crystal, and his responded, her flaring bright gold, his deep red. 

“Yun. Two. Us.” 

And Rey's response was natural, culled from somewhere deep inside of her. “_Hyalyun_.” _I crave the two of us. _

His eyes snapped out of his stupor when she tugged on his shirt, her mouth twisted, and her nose scrunched. “Take this off,” she growled. Because now Rescarpmentey was out of patience. How could she be patient? Her body felt like it was on the crag of _something_—that thing she’d found with Poe and Finn and Rose—and she wanted to experience that with _him_. “Off, please, _Ari_.” Every time she spoke the language she only understood in her soul, her kyber crystal flared, and every time it flared, it seemed like Ben fell deeper, towards that great precipice she sought. 

Again, Ben was compliant, softened, flexible. Despite all of his talk about leading, Rey had done a fair share of the commanding. She watched him, like a viper waiting to strike, as he peeled his tunic off, kicked off his pants. This big, broad, strong man, and his soft, warm, loving eyes, and those damn irresistible lips. Her eyes drifted lower and lower…

Oh, _stars_. Oh, Maker. 

She’d seen it before, that night in the forest, but she had not seen it like _this_, hard and _huge, _and straining, curving up beautifully towards his stomach. 

Rey’s tongue darted out to wet her lips.

Ben’s eyes darkened as his eyes focused on her mouth. “Have I exhausted all of your orders, my lady?” he bites out, his voice hoarse.

Rey wanted to laugh because _she _hadn’t exhausted a thing. She was wound up so tight that she was afraid if he touched her again, she’d explode. But…but…Ben wasn’t going anywhere. This wasn’t a meal she had to scarf down before it was stolen. A piece of metal she had to sell before the sun went down.

This was a man…who loved her.

With a renewed sense of patience, she placed two lips to his ear. “Be with me,” she pleaded, her hand snaking down between them, palm flat against his torso until she felt a ridged softness, her thumb rubbing over the head of his cock. “Come to me.”

“Rey?”

She tried answering him sweetly, but it came out rough with need. “Yes—” she paused to clear her throat. “Yes?”

“Look at me.”

And she did, her green eyes meeting his brown ones. “You,” he murmured, his voice deep and fervent. “I love you, and only you. Do you believe me??”

She did not want to ruin this moment with stupid tears, so she pulled him down to her so she could bury her face in his neck. That just wouldn’t do for him. He pulled back, took her chin between his fingers, and kissed her softly.

“You, Rey.”

“Me.” And Rey loved being here, caged between his strong arms, feeling like everything happening to her was simply unreal.

On her next inhale, she felt his cock up against her center, him dragging it up and down, teasing her clit with such exquisite friction before pausing at her entrance. He grinned at her, like the cad he was, and she opened her mouth to tell him stop teasing her, when he pressed in, and Rey felt the Earth drop from up under her.

She really was floating, breathless, hungry, filled, completed.

Rey pulled herself out of the heat of it all when she heard him groaning, staring at where they are joined. His eyes flicked up to hers. “Tell me when I can move.”

Rey almost balked at this, because she certainly was no virgin, no blushing bride. She’d attempted to trick him as a courtesan! But then she remembered, even that night, he’d been nothing but a gentleman, never wanting to push her into something she was not ready to accept. Her heart was fit to burst thinking about how kind and gentle this giant man of hers was.

“Please,” she grunted, shimmying her hips, causing him to seat in her fully. “Please, please.”

He nodded, brows furrowed, and the heat of him relaxed her further. Ben—not Kylo, he could never be Kylo again—moved inside of her with as much gentleness he could manage. But Rey didn’t want gentle, not right now. She wanted to feel him, and she wanted to be able to feel him for days afterwards. Silly, but there was still a part of her that was fearful she’d wake up and she’d be a liar again and he’d only be flirting with her to pass the time.

“I—I can take it, just,” and Rey arched into him, meeting his next thrust.

“Whatever you want, “ he said, dipping to kiss her deeply, tongue stroking the roof of her mouth while she whined. He rolled his eyes at her, chortling and murmuring something about “impatient,” before lifting her leg over her shoulder. He tried one sharp thrust, watching her eyes flutter and then—

The only thing Rey could do was hold on as Ben fucked her like a lover possessed. His hands were everywhere he could touch and his lips played across hers like a song, singing of everything they could be and everything they would be. “You, Rey…you. Only you.” Over and over and over again.

And then Rey was no longer floating, but plummeting to earth, through the stars and through the clouds, her destination—Ben. 

Her climax rocked the _ever-loving shit_ out of her, a crass saying to be sure. To be poeti, because this felt like a sonnet etched in flesh—Rey became _everything,_ and everything became her.

She was _divine_.

She returned to the earth feeling like a goddess and her god descended with her, him pulsing deep within her as he reached his own orgasm.

She did love this man. And she would fight for him.

Then, and only then, did Rey have the courage to erase Rose’s name in Kylo’s heart, and replace it with her own. 

Snoke winced as a cuffed hand smacked him across the back of his head again.

“How many times must I tell you? Over and over again, must I tell you? You either make them fear you or make them love you. Why must you straddle the fence, only to be scorned and detested?”

Snoke tried to look up at his father with some remorse, any kind of remorse for failing him, but it was _hard_. His father, old by some standards, ancient by others, his life stretched so unnaturally long that Snoke often wondered if he was human, had learned to make people either love him or hate him.

Yet, it was never something he’d taught Snoke. All the lessons he’d managed to pick up all involved manipulation and abuse. Once, people feared him, his years of hard work, subjugation, and terror finally earning him the reputation he deserved.

Then Kylo Ren happened. He and his underhanded ploys to humiliate him. And he no longer held sway over the people. They adored him.

So, there wasn’t much Snoke could do to please his father. He had stopped trying a long time ago.

“And you harmed a woman? Who posed no threat or promise to you?”

“I was trying to—”

“You failed!” His father pulled up close, his breath rancid and stale. “If you did not get anything from her, what good was harming her? That is not how we play this game.”

“Does it count that she is still alive?” he tried

“I don’t care if she is dead or if she is alive! It’s the people talking!” his father roared as his hand flew across his dinner table, knocking a chalice full of wine to the floor. “You find this woman—what was her name?”

Snoke decided lying was a better option. “Rose, sir.”

“You—you find this Rose and you do what you have to do. I heard she has influence. From Alon to Dothamir! And here you go, dragging this great house into your foolishness with _nothing _gained. You make this right or so help me I will burn that ship of yours to the ground!”

“Yes, Father.” Snoke didn’t wait for his father’s hand to come flying at him again, so he bowed quickly and retreated from the room, his cape billowing in his wake. Once he was aboard Finalizer again, he called for Hux.

“As soon as possible I want this ship prepared for Alon. If Father wants me to make it right…then I shall do so…”

Hux frowned, staring out west across the Silver Sea. “But, my leader, I have word that the woman is in Theed. Alon is in the opposite direction.”

“I said nothing of making this easy for them, Armitage. I shall …make amends to her, but she is going to have to come home. And there is no better way to do that, then to make Kylo Ren come to me. Prepare for Alon.”

As Hux left the room, yelling commands to the crewmen of Finalizer, Snoke’s lips stretched over a nasty smile.

“Time to meet this Rose Captain Kylo Ren is so obsessed with.”


	12. The Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys, this is woefully unbeta'd because I literally typed it on my phone during a three day video conference. 
> 
> I humbly beg for your forgiveness! 
> 
> Oh, and we're almost there!

Finn lifted his head from under the thick, warm covers, the light from the afternoon sun pouring in from the window causing him to squint. He shifted a bit, moving Poe’s arm from around his waist and used the hand not stuck under Rose naked thigh to brace himself for sitting up.

The sound of a foghorn had woken him and although he had no scheduled visits from any of their patrons, it seemed one was destined to bother him on his one day off. There were rules. You don’t approach a pleasure barge unless invited! So, as he looked around Rose’s cabin for his pants, he didn’t rush. Whoever it was could wait.

When he finally opened Rose’s cabin door, he paused, blinking the rest of sleep out of his eyes because the sails of a very large ship stood between him and the sun. He frowned—maybe he shouldn’t have made them wait.

The ship had dropped anchor behind theirs, a few yards from Market Bay’s ports, so there was no mistake in who they were waiting for. Finn walked to Keshla’s stern and raised a hand in greeting.

A tall man, broad shoulder with a thick scruffy beard appeared at the ship’s deck. A shorter man with red hair stood a step behind him, hands behind his back, an imperious look on his face. Then there was the woman, formidable look, her uniform adorned with so much silver that the afternoon sun ricocheted off of it like a blaster’s bolt. 

“Greetings. I am to presume this is Keshla?” The man lifted a boot on the bottom rail and shifted forward to lean on his knee. His lips were twisted in a way that Finn couldn’t read to save his life. Which worried him—Finn was trained to read people. He was damned good at it.

One of Keshla’s dock men scrambled to lower the plank between the two ships and the man didn’t hesitate to cross once the wide slab of wood _thunked_ against the rails of his ship. Only the two men crossed, the woman staying back, her gaze panning back and forth across the hull like danger would hop out and snatch the two men up. 

Once they were aboard, Finn reached out to shake the tall man’s hand. “Welcome to Keshla. Is there,” and he glanced at the red head, who was looking at him with nothing short of a sneer, “anything I can help you gentlemen with?”

“Quite,” the man said. “I’ve travelled long and hard to request the pleasure of Rose The Veiled company, if I may? I’ve heard the stories of her, from the lips of someone very dear to me, and it piqued this old sailor’s interest.”

Finn snorted. They never learned. “And you are?”

The man paused, as if he weren’t expecting the question. “Snoke, Captain of The Supremacy.” A brow, better yet, the place where his brow should be, lifted skyward. “And who are you, might I ask?”

“The negotiator aboard,” he sighed. He was ready for them to go. “I hate to disappoint but Rose is not here. And it is common courtesy to schedule a meeting with me first before approaching this barge. This isn’t a whorehouse.” Finn crossed his arms, annoyed, but took a step back nonetheless and gestured towards the stairs. “But since you are here…”

The undercabin of Keshla was a far cry from the deck cabins but by no means anything like the cabins below the deck of your run of the mill ship. It was a medium space, warm and cozy, and most importantly, dry. Far less the luxury that Rose, Kaydel, Jessika and Pammich lived in. Still, with such short notice, the smooth dining room table housed in their kitchen would have to suffice as negotiating quarters.

Snoke and his red headed crewmember took a seat at the long wooden bench opposite Finn while he pulled a piece of dried parchment from a cabinet from behind him. “At Keshla, we always aim to please. We have a number of lovely ladies aboard our fine ship. Are you interested in a night of pleasure, company? Entertainment? That’ll help me best select a beauty for you tonight.

Snoke’s smile slipped. “While I’m sure that every woman on this barge is beyond my wildest expectation—this barge does have a reputation—I am here for one thing and one thing alone. That is Rose.”

“Yeah. And that is why I offered you another choice. Rose is not here.”

Snoke grinned returned, as if he were expecting such an answer. With a short jerk of his head, the red haired man reached deep into his coat, finally withdrawing a perfume satchel stuff with money. It was dropped before Finn and Finn eyed it like a handful of cow dung had been dropped on the table. “This is thrice the sum of money Captain Kylo Ren is paying you for Rose’s company. _Thrice_. I’m sure that is sufficient enough for you to throw that contract to the sea.”

The door behind Finn swung open to reveal a plainly dressed Rose, her face scrubbed free of makeup, her hair gathered in a messy bun at her nape, looking none the pleased at having visitors. “If I’d known you were going to leave bed to entertain guests, I would have locked you in,” she intoned as she sauntered in, ignoring the visitors and heading for a bowl of fruit on the counter.

Finn hid his smirk behind his hand. “Forgive me. These gentlemen from The Supremacy are here in regards to nullifying Captain Kylo Ren’s contract with Rose.”

Rose plucked an apple from the bowl and took a bite, wiping the juice from the corners of her mouth as she turned back towards the kitchen table, chewing slowly. “It’s amazing they know of the contract in the first place,” she said with a mouth full of fruit. “That could only mean a number of things.” She took another bite, her eyes narrowing at Snoke.

“As First Mate—”

“Pleasure barges have First Mates,” the red head said, tone incredulous.

“—I run a tight ship, sirs, and I’m sure that Finn has told you that Rose is not here. By that right, we have no way of cancelling a contract as it would require her permission. However, I’ve known her for a long time so I can assure you that we are _not_ going to cancel that contract. Our loyalties lie with the Captain of The Finalizer. I wouldn’t waste time trying to negotiate—you are sitting in front of one of the best in Alon. If he has told you no, then that is your answer. And as much as I hate to disappoint, this is the only day we have off on this barge, so if you could please escort yourselves back to your ship and—"

Snoke’s laugh cut so sharply that both negotiator and courtesan looked at him just as sharply. “I’m sorry to laugh, my lady, forgive me, I know it’s rude. However, you are under the impression that I am _asking_.”

Snoke stood and circled the kitchen table, shutting the door as he drew closer to Finn and Rose. Finn stood, his hand at his hip and his fingers wrapping around the hilt of his blade when the sound of a sword clearing its sheath echoed in the small kitchen. “Armitage Hux,” he said as the red headed man edged Finn and Rose back into a corner.” He’s not the best with a sword, so he just hacks away. It’s served me splendidly.”

“Well. So much for our day off,” Finn muttered.

“I’ve traveled a great distance to meet with you and I have been completely civil yet the only thing you lowly people have afforded me is your disrespect.”

Rose laughed, bright and loud and brave and more unbothered than Finn though was appropriate, giving the situation. “I give respect where respect is due, pirate,” she spat. “How dare you step foot aboard this ship—"

“My lady Rose,” he said lowly, “a creature such as yourself should understand your place in this world. A _whore_ should do as a whore is told. If I want you, I shall have you.” Snoke lumbered to stand beside Hux, gazing at the pair as if they were amusing pets. “Now, the unfortunate thing about your refusal to play along today is that it was the only reason I had for keeping any of you unharmed. It seems that is no longer the case, hm?”

“You know, the wonderful thing about Ryloth is its amass of treasures. Exotic, spicy, inexpensive but of good quality,” Azer Ren said to no one as he tilted his head to watch a Twi’lek fire dancer from the island port entertain him with her tricks. His attention was more on her hips than the violent flame she was spewing from her mouth. Bawdy, he knew, but he purchased her talents, and it would be a waste to not admire all of them. He’d get a male next. Maybe have them perform together. The corner of Azer’s mouth hitched higher as he thought about how soon he would be returning to the landside.

His thoughts were interrupted when Rey slumped down next to him. She gazed up at the Twi’lek, yet she was looking at the fire. Typical. Goody-two-shoes. “They say a man is afraid of two things,” she said as the woman blew a crescent shaped flame into the air. When Azer glanced at her out of the side of his eye, she continued. “Fire and women.”

Azer’s grin was wry as his eyes travelled back to the fire dancer. “Both can be tamed so there is no need to fear them.”

“Tamed?” Rey asked sharply.

He held his hands up in surrender. “I…misspoke?”

“Keep talking and you’ll find out how hard a woman is to tame, my friend.”

He laughed gaily and stood. He offered the dancer a bag of coins and instructed her to entertain the rest of the crew. “You are no ordinary woman, Rey. More of a dragon. You’ve got fangs you see.”

“All women are the same, you lot are just too stupid to see that. And dragons don’t have fangs, you moron.”

“Oh, ho but they do! They extend during the full moon!—”

Their argument was stopped short when a raven circled around the mast, swooped low and landed on the rail just short of Kylo Ren’s quarters. Azer's face lit up and he cuffed a hand around Rey’s wrist.

“A raven! Must be good news! Maybe it’s from Alon! We aren’t far away at all!” Without waiting for a response, he tugged Rey up the stairs to where the raven rested. He pulled the tiny message from its foot and marched into his own quarters and then through the door that connected his to Kylo Ren’s.

When they walked in, they found Naha Fey crouched low by the rail that led up to Kylo Ren’s bed, and Kylo Ren hanging up from it.

Azer glanced at his Captain’s upside-down position. “Well, this is new.”

Naha Fey glared at him and Kylo Ren glared at Rey. “You sure you don’t belong to some King’s court as a Jester, Azer?” Naha Fey asked as she pulled Kylo Ren’s arm from his body, stretching the Captain’s torso until a jarring pop was heard in his lower back.

Kylo Ren sighed in relief.

“Better?” Azer tried. “Or are you planning on leaving us for the circus? You’d make a lovely acrobat, Captain.”

“Rey is the cause of this, and she knows why,” Ren barked. “That is all I will say.”

Rey rolled her eyes. “Your back gave out, big deal. You said you wanted adventure, so I _gave it_ to you. How was I to know that you weren’t as flexible as you appear to be? The next time you want to try some new preposterous position in bed you’ll—"

Kylo Ren’s hands shot out. “I’ll pay you every piece of gold I have for you to not tell that story out loud. _Please_.”

Rey looked contemplative, as if his offer wasn’t quite enough for the fun she’d have telling this story to every member on deck. This is why he loved Rey. Such a wonderful storyteller.

His Captain noticed it, too. “Stars, Naha. Help me down before she ruins my life.”

“Well, while you relive your former life as a bat, I am elated to be the bearer of glad tidings. A raven! From Alon. Keshla to be exact. Maybe they are preparing another grand feast for our return, yeah?”

“Kehsla?” Rey squeaked.

Kylo Ren’s eyes flew to Rey, Rey’s to Azer, Azer’s smiling eyes slid to Naha Fey and Naha Fey just lowered her head.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Sooner or later you are all going to have to tell one another that—” Naha Fey started.

“What does it say?!” Rey and Kylo Ren exclaimed at the same time, which was impressive. Azer tossed the message to Kylo, who walked it over to the window where a candle was burning. Unfurling the tiny slip of paper, he held it up to the light.

He seemed to read it once. Quickly, the look of distress on his face mounting with each line. Both he and Naha Ren were attuned to the little things in Kylo’s face that might read as a command. Rey wasn’t quite there yet, so to her, he looked distressed and was distressed. She started towards him, worry on her face, but the Captain dropped the message in the flames before she could get to him. All four of them watched it burn.

The three of them reacted, Kylo stepping away from Rey, Naha turning towards Captain’s desk for something, and Azer pulling Rey towards the door.

“My little Reylight. Would you like to learn how to spit fire?”

She looked at him like he’d asked her to set herself on fire. “No. Not really.”

“Oh, yes you do. C’mon, gal.” He didn’t give her the chance to refuse, dragging her out of the cabin

When the door closed with Azer and Rey on the other side, Naha Fey rushed to Kylo Ren’s side, the map of Chandrila clutched in her hands. Perceptive. “What did it say?”

“Snoke,” Kylo Ren answered. He lashed out at his study, knocking most of the papers from it—save the map. “He has Rose…” he gulped and turned to Naha Fey. “He has Pammich…he has Finn and Poe…he has all of them.”

“Pammich?” Kylo saw the panic on her face, an emotion that was hard to drag out of her. Which was good because when Naha panicked, things went to shit. “Well, what are we waiting for?” Her hand fell to her sword. “We have to go! We have to go to them! I swear to the gods if he lays one hand on her I’ll gut him like the pig he is!”

“Naha Fey…wait. It’s not that simple. He wants—" He stopped his fuming, his hands curled in tight fists as he leaned against his study. “He wants Rey in exchange.”

Rey patiently sat through a lesson about putting a bitter liquid in her mouth and blowing a very dangerous substance out, a lesson that she had no desire to learn, a lesson she thought was the stupidest thing ever, with a smile. Azer had saddled her up with Qunci, the Twi’lek dancer from before, and she was reluctantly showing Rey the secrets of fire breathing with an expressive amount of lackluster enthusiasm.

“You’ll have to inhale first, a big gulp, fill your lungs with air. Then you pour the liquid in your mouth. Like this, see? Don’t sip on it. Once Bobi swallowed, drank all of it, and ended up drunker than a—"

Rey put the bottle of flammable liquids down. “Did you see where Azer went? The man that paid you to do this?”

The unlit torched dropped to her side, bouncing off her leg. “Yes. He snuck back up those steps about an hour ago. Okay,” she continued with a sigh, “so then you squeeze your mouth together like this and—"

“Qunci, you are lovely and talented and I promise I won’t tell if you won’t. I have no use for fire breathing.”

“No one has use for fire breathing. I do it because it makes me money. You like money, no? Right. So, once you squeeze your lips, you blow and—"

“Money? I have money! I’ll give it all to you if you’d be willing to help me with something far more interesting than this.”

The woman raised a brow briefly before she tucked the torch in the holder across her back and shrugged.

Rey didn’t hesitate with her newfound freedom. Silently, she eased her way across the deck, feigning nonchalance, and headed for the stairs towards Ben’s cabin, Qunci on her heels.

Normally, she would mind her business. She was no pirate and pirate business was of no real interest to her, but her ears were positively burning, and she’d been taught that burning ears meant someone was talking about you. That required investigation. Or the more important thing, the fact that she’d briefly seen death in Kylo’s eyes, a sharp, bitter dissonance in whatever connection they had. It sat on the back of her tongue like rancid meat. And it had to do with Keshla.

She needed to know.

Ben had a thick oakwood door, which in the past few days, she’d been very thankful for. But she knew that wouldn’t work well in her favor. She would have better luck with a window. The danger was that the only way to get to a window unseen was to get to the edge of the quarterdeck and…dangle.

Fine.

Quickly they climbed, grateful that they have the cover of night to help them. When they’d pulled themselves to the roof, Rey paused to access the situation.

Qunci looked fit, but her arms were more kept thin for graceful lines while she danced with fire. Rey, on the other hand, had toiled and labored and ran and swam and fought. She was suddenly glad she’d become so skilled as a negotiator. It was going to take a lot of convincing to get a stranger to dangle over the side of a ship to eavesdrop, and that Rey, as small as she was, wasn’t going to drop her right into the water. 

“Qunci,” she said, turning to the dancer. “I have something very important that I need to hear and there is only one way that I can hear it.”

“You want to eavesdrop on your Captain’s cabin,” she guessed as she looked over the side of the ship.”

Rey’s brow rose in surprise. “Well, I wouldn’t call it…_that_.”

Qunci shrugged. “Call it what you want, lady. What do you need of me? Not every day I get to do something like this.” Rey was impressed. Either this woman was brilliant or a _complete_ lunatic.

Moments later, Qunci was dangling upside down, her long red lekkus tucked into her top as Rey slowly, _slowly_ lowered her closer to Kylo Ren’s windows.

“What are they saying?” Rey hissed out.

Qunci waved her away and motioned for Rey to lower her more. Huffing, she scooted forward, letting Qunci drop more. She held the dancer for a very long minute, and even with her bracing her foot against the rail, her arms were tiring. Then, thankfully, Qunci was motioning with one lekku to pull her back up. Rey tugged hard, pushing against the roof’s ceiling until the woman slid back, her eyes wild and a bit dizzy. But she was laughing, and that eased some of the tension running ragged throughout Rey’s body. 

“Well, what did you hear?”

“Nothing more than pirate speak from the sounds of it. The one named Naha Fey, Azer and the Knights of…Ren? Plan on travelling East towards Alon, while the Captain seems to be traveling West at dawn.”

Rey slumped a little at the news. “West? That’s the opposite direction of Alon. Did they say what for?”

Qunci untucked her lekku from her thin linen top and took the time to scratch behind a cone shaped ear. “Yes. Something about a man named Snoke storming a ship…_Keshla_ I believe>? He has taken the crew hostage. He demands that they trade a woman named Rey for roses? Must be some pretty special damn roses.” Qunci froze, eyes narrowed at Rey. “Hey. Didn’t you say your name was Rey?"

Qunci got her answer as Rey’s mouth dropped open and her fingers traveled to her lip in complete shock. She blinked through her confusion, through her horror, as the wheels in her head began to crank and shutter to life. “Ben wants to travel West… away from Alon. He… he doesn’t plan on trading me for Rose. Naha Fey and Azer—that’s—”

Rey shot to her feet shimmied down the exact same way they’d gotten up and gunned for the stairs. She had access to her old quarters again after she’d demanded that she have somewhere to herself since her move to Kylo Ren’s cabin a week past. She flung the door back and ran to her trunk. She grabbed an empty skin of water, her daggers and a map.

“What are you doing?”

“I am not going to sit here and let Rose pay for my life and I am not going to let the Knights walk into a fight they won’t win. I won’t let Ben protect me by sacrificing his people! I won’t.” Rey slipped her things into a saddlebag.

“What are you going to do? SWIM there? This part of Ryloth is an island. By the time you get to the main shore you’ll be exhausted.”

“Stay out of it,” Rey growled as she reached for her hood.

Qunci's mouth flopped open and close before she broke into a laugh. “You hang me precariously over the edge of a ship, endanger my life with your silly little missions and now you want me to stay out of it?”

Rey eased around Qunci towards the door. “Precisely,” she bit out as she grabbed the door handle.

Qunci took a seat on the edge of the bed and crossed her legs. “Well that’s a pity. For I have a boat and a rower. While you have nothing but that attitude.”

Rey paused and spun on her heels. “You have a boat,” she repeated.

“I have a boat,” Qunci stated. ”I mean how exactly do you think I got onto this godforsaken ship in the first place?” A very good point. “I would be willing to let you borrow said boat and have Bobi row you to the main shore or I can continue to stay out of it. Your choice, crazy lady.”

Rey leaned back against the door with a grin, pressing her hand around her kyber crystal. “I knew I liked you for a reason.”

“It’s only a few hours until dawn. Act as if nothing is amiss. Rey is a class A liar, and I know she can sniff em out just as well. So. Act normal. By dawn she won’t know you’ve left and by the time she figures it out, we will be on the other side of Dathomir Once she’s safe, I sail hard for Alon. Parlay until my arrival. Then we kick their asses…if this all goes well..”

Azer chuckled. “I’m sure this is going to go to shit but it’s the only plan we’ve got! And since you’ve binded us all to you, and to her, it’s the only plan where I’m sure some of us will survive.”

Kylo Ren ruffled Azer’s hair and clapped a sturdy hand onto Naha Fey’s shoulder. “This is what we do, what we were born to do. It _will_ go well, hm? Go get some rest. Tomorrow will be a trial.”

As Naha Fey and Azer filed into their own cabins, Kylo Ren realized it had been hours since he’d seen or heard a peep out of Rey. Even for dinner, she stayed away. She’s mad. Of course, she’s mad. He made his way towards her undercabin quarters, working on his lie. He’d tell her it was a border dispute over some silver, something she would find boring.

He approached her door and turned the knob only to find it locked. Frowning, he pulled his key from a pocket and slid it into the lock. The door creaked open and he popped his head in. Rey’s quarters were Naha Fey’s old ones so even without a candle to light the room, he knew the space like the back of his hand. “Rey?”

She didn’t answer and that only confirmed his suspicions that he has pissed her off. He edged around the study against the wall and towards her bed. Using the eager light filtering in from her small window, he just barely made out her silhouette, the sheets covering her from head to toe.

Kicking off his boots, he slid into bed and pulled her into him. “Rey—I didn’t. You weren’t kicked out of that meeting because I’m keeping anything from you. Everything I do is to keep you safe.”

Instead of melting into him, and forgiving him, she stiffened, remaining quiet. He tried reaching out to her, for her feelings, but what he got back was nothing, silence, like his ears were stuffed with cotton.

She was that mad. In an act of frustration, he pulled the covers from over her head and turned her towards him. “You cannot fault me for keeping every bad thing that may happen from you because—"

Kylo Ren paused. He knew what Rey looked like pretty well. Even in the dark, he could tell. Nevermind that a mask has confused him for weeks, now he knew what Rey looked like. So, despite it being dark, and despite the fact that it had only been a few hours since he’d seen her, there was no way that Rey had adopted a red complexion and grown two long red lekkus.

In all of his days, he will never remember jumping that high ever again.

“WHO IN ALL OF THE GODS’ NAME ARE YOU?”

This woman, this woman who was not his Rey, sat up and pulled the covers back up to her neck. She blinked at him like he was the one overreacting.

“My name is Qunci. Fire dancer of Ryloth.”

Kylo pressed himself into the wall. “Hello, Qunci. Nice to meet you. If you could help me out, it’d be greatly appreciated,” he said with a tight smile before he exploded. “Where is my wife?”

Qunci tilted her head like a lost puppy. “Wife? She didn’t tell me she was married.”

Kylo Ren waved his hands. He knew he looked mad but considering the circumstances, maybe he needed to look mad. “She doesn’t exactly know her marital status at the moment. But that isn’t the point. Where is she—"

Qunci giggled. “I’m sorry. But how on earth does a woman not know she is married?”

Kylo Ren stomped his foot like a child “Tell me where she is and I’ll let her know!”

“She’s gone. Off this boat, I mean. And she instructed me to only tell Azer Ren where she was because and I quote “The Captain has anger issues. Seeing you absolutely red in the face leads me to believe she knows you better than most, so maybe she really is your wife.”

The Captain stared at her blankly before he ran from the room, up the stairs, and into Azer’s quarters, not caring to knock. He shook his Second Mate like he was waking the dead.

“Tell me why there is a woman, a scantily clad Twi’lek, mind you, one I’ve never seen _in my life_ in Rey’s quarters? A woman who won’t tell me where my wife is. A woman who is asking for you and only you. So, you go talk to her. You go down there and drag every piece of information you can out of her before I launch her out of a canon into the middle of the fucking ocean!”

Azer squinted up at his Captain. “What—"

“Rey is not on this ship! Get your ass out of bed, Azer! Get down there and fix this before I set you and this room on fire! Go!”

xXx

Azer entered the cabin hours later, looking exhausted. “I’ve awakened most of the crew. We sail within the hour.”

Kylo Ren carded his hands into his hair and yanked hard, barely holding back a scream. “When I get my hands on that woman, I am going to _kill_ her.”

“Defeats the purpose of going to save her, perhaps?”

“Shut up, Kodzai.”

“The wisest thing to do at this point is to prepare a plan to rescue them all in one fell swoop. Since Rey rode by horse, we will send Raijoit with his own party to hopefully cut her off at the pass. Either way, if we hurry, we will reach Alon before or at the same time as her.”

Phetra hummed. “And our plan of confrontation? It’s been a while since we’ve gone head to head with the First Order. I’m really excited to kick Hux in his head. I want it to dent. Cave in.”

“What about the Starblossom Trick?” Emon'tu tried.

Naha Fey tsked. “Yeah, except they’ve seen it what a hundred times already.”

“Right! Which is why it’ll work,” Kodzai exclaimed. “Because we’re just that stupid to try it a hundred and one times, and they may dislike us, but they do respect us. They won’t think we’re that dumb.”

Phetra sighed. “If not that, the wink wink gambit as a backup?”

“Doesn’t someone always lose an arm when we try that?” Emon'tu said.

Naha Fey placed a comforting hand on Kylo Ren’s shoulder while the rest of the Knights discussed in the background. “We will save her. We’ll save everyone.”

In retrospect, walking into the arms of danger did fit in quite well with Rey’s propitious speeches about being a creature of one. And she was, because there was no other reason beside pure unadulterated stupidity that she was willingly surrendering herself to a man who’d tried to kill her on more than one occasion.

Considering Snoke’s unstable personality, this could be the death of her. And if by the power of some _miraculous_ divine intervention of whichever god watched over foolishly brave women, she survived this, there was Ben’s wrath to deal with.

What a lovely way to die.

As she and the horse Qunci had lent her trotted over the last hill of the godsroad, Alon proper came into view and she had to smile. She’d missed the place.

Her eyes swept over the small town, trying to remember it all. The House of Mai where she’d learned how to negotiate ruthlessly. Oliver’s Block, where she’d contracted her first client. The Drunken Supernovae where she’d met Darvus, the cute guard who bought her first taste of Ghiscari. Merchant’s Row, where she met Finn. And as her eyes touched the port, she saw Keshla, where she’d met Rose and Poe, Kaydel, Pammich and Jessika. Where she’d met Kylo Ren. Where she’d fallen for Ben.

“Let’s go, girl,” and Rey spurred the horse into a gallop. Rey was never very good at being protected. Not when she could do it herself. And she would not sit there, docile, on some damn portside city while Ben sacrificed half his heart to keep her safe.

Docked behind Keshla was a ship that ran shivers down her spine. The Supremacy rose and fell with the waves, its black sails flapping in the early morning wind. A long wooden plank was connecting the barge with Snoke’s ship to Keshla’s, but the deck of the barge looked empty. They must be holding them below. Which made her plan a lot easier. Walk aboard and surrender. They would leave Keshla, and whatever fate she had, it would be made aboard The Supremacy.

She tied the horse to a post and walked across the cobblestone street up to the plank that led to Keshla’s deck. Once she was aboard, Rey looked around. No, not a soul to be seen. Cautiously, she tiptoed down the steps to below deck, searching each room and coming up empty. The kitchen was bare, the cabins were vacant, and Poe’s suite was completely deserted. She frowned and made her way back up the steps, now more worried than ever.

She found out why the undercabin was empty when she climbed the final step. Standing at the far edge of the barge was a silhouette she’d never forget in her life. He turned as she stepped onto the deck, a twisted smile on his disgusting face.

“My, my Rey! Hold still that fiery spit of hope! An adventure! An enigma. It is truly a wonder of this world that it has taken me this long to find a spirit such as yourself. Such a reckless thing.”

Rey sighed long and heavy. “Where is Rose?”

Snoke crossed the deck of Keshla with long unnatural strides, gangly and monstrous, until he was right up on Rey. “How noble of you. Still worried about the whore?”

Before Rey could respond, she felt a hard blow to the back of her head and as her eyes fluttered shut, the last thing she saw was the skies of Alon.


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A, ho, ho, ho and a battle. So fun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woyunoks - Sith - Little One  
Kotswai - Sith - "To break" (Kots) + "Negation particle" (wai)

“God damn it all! Where is the wind? I need more! I can row faster than this!” Kylo Ren kicked the steering stand in frustration. Alon was only a quarter’s day ride from Ryloth but it had already taken them half a day. If they moved any slower, they’d be sailing backward.

“Have we any word from the men on foot?”

“No, Captain, none. The safest journey on land to Alon from Ryloth is the highroad but we took into consideration the fastest is the darkroad. If she was smart she took to the high, but if we know Rey as well as we think we do then…” Kyryahi trailed off worriedly.

“Which means she is probably already there. Damn it to hell!”

“We’re turning northeast now, Alon is approaching, Captain.”

Kylo Ren marched to the edge of the quarterdeck as the cliffs of Alon could be seen in the distance. He scanned the horizon and through the thick fog, he made out something that caused him to stop. “Azer! Starboard!”

The black sails of Ebon Prince. The ship had sailed a mile or two off the coast of Alon and was floating along the Silver Sea, its anchor thrown overboard. “Turn hard, starboard. To that ship!”

He turned to Azer again. “Send two to shore and search out Keshla. If no one is aboard, stand ready at port. There is a possibility that Rey has not reached Alon yet.” A stiff, improbably possibility, but a possibility none the less. _That damn woman!_

He raced down the stairs and found Naha Fey instructing the crew. “Tell them all to get below deck. Meet me on the quarterdeck as soon as that is done.”

As they came broadside of the ship, they were greeted by Hux standing on the rails, his arms across his chest as he waited.

“Only the Captain and his First are allowed across,” Hux hissed, a high nasally sound that irritated the shit out of him. If he killed no one else today, Hux would definitely meet the end of his sword. A few of the crewmen from The Supremacy appeared from behind him and dropped plank.

“We’re not crossing plank between two ships of this size! That’s absurd!” Naha Fey cried, moving as the wood smacked down.

Hux Donnis smirked, seeming to not care. “Would you rather jump?”

“Fuck that guy,” she raged under her breath as she took a step up onto the rails. Azer Ren took control of the deck while Kylo Ren and Naha Fey took the chance of crossing the thin unstable plank. Kylo stabilized it with a downward push of the force and they hurried across the moment it stopped wobbling.

Once on the other side, the plank was kicked away, clattering down the sides of the ship and into the water, leaving the Captain and First mate stranded aboard. The waistdeck was crowded and as they were led towards the deck near the cabin quarters, Kylo Ren had to draw his lip into his mouth to keep from cursing.

Poe and Finn were tied standing to the mast of the ship, while Kaydel, Pammich, and Jessika were on their knees, their hands tied behind their backs and a dirty rag stuff between their lips. Both Poe and Finn were bleeding, a cut above Poe’s eye and the corner of Finn’s mouth, and enough ugly bruising to look ghastly even from this far away. He wasn’t sure how trained either men were in fighting, but they’d fought, and they’d fought hard.

Naha Fey reacted differently to the sight. While Kylo Ren feigned apathy, she started, her legs carrying her in Kaydel’s direction. Kylo Ren’s arm shot out, hand curling around her arm. “_Kotswai_,” he hissed under his breath, commanding her to not break.

“Yes,” a voice slithered out from the interior of the Captain’s Quarters. “Listen to that mutt of a Captain. Do not forfeit your life because you were seduced into forgetting your training.” The Captain of the Supremacy’s tall, gangly, hunched form appeared

“Snoke!”

“Ho. Ho. Ho,” the pirate said darkly, the smile sliding off his misshapen face as he stared down at Kylo Ren. “It seems I have the one up on you. I asked for a treasure and you allowed one to walk right into my arms. Two, it seems, although one of them is a feral _rat_,” he seethed.

“It’s been some time since you’ve seen your lady love. Shall I reacquaint you? Rose, my dear?”

He raised a hand and with two quick snaps, his guard, red stark against the pink and orange sky, dragged a ragged but still proud-looking woman from Snoke’s cabin.

Kylo Ren watched in amazement as he glanced upon Rose The Veiled for the very first time in his life. So, the stories were true. She was _absolutely_ gorgeous. The picture Paige had shown was enough to recognize her, but her enchanting as a girl, but _this_ was the woman of legend. In another life, in another world, he would have fallen for her completely, knowing that she’d lived up to every fantasy he’d ever had about her.

But this wasn’t another life, and this wasn’t another world. This was a world that held Adorae Kira Kenobi.

“Where is Rey?”

Snoke pouted. “I figured you’d be more…excited to be reunited with the insipid source of your fantasies, Ren.” He sighed dramatically, then nodded with his head, a space just over Kylo Ren’s shoulder. “Behind you.”

Kylo Ren whipped around to see Rey emerge from the crowd of Supremacy crewmen, her face shuddered and evasive. Kylo, forgetting the word he’d just spoken to Naha, took a step forward, panic overwhelming him. But before he could take a step, Rey’s hands rose and he paused. “Don’t.”

Snoke’s laugh rang out from behind them. “Good girl! You follow instructions well! Now!” and he turned to Kylo Ren, “before I ask you this next question, Let us all learn more about our precious little rat here.”

_Stars above he wanted to kill this man._

He paced the deck as he spoke out over the ship. “I found it awfully strange—not that anything you do is orthodox to begin with—that a man with such distastefully high esteem would be carting a strange, obviously poor and uncouth woman up and down the Silver Sea when you had such a,” and he ran a weathered hand through the ends of Rose’s hair and brought it to his nose to sniff. He ignored the complete disgust on her face, as if he were already well acquainted with her revulsion, “delectable wench waiting for you back in Alon. So, I did some investigating. Do you want to know what I found?”

Hux crossed the deck and dropped a handful of rolled letters at Kylo Ren’s feet, laughing at Kylo’s confusion, Rey’s panic. Kylo Ren bent to pick one up and as he began to uncurl the paper, Rey shot forward, ignoring whatever commands Snoke had given her.

She bared her teeth at him, fist balled at her side. “You said you wouldn’t!” She spun towards Kylo Ren. “Don’t! Please!”

Kylo Ren paused, but he’d already learned what he needed. In the bottom corner was his seal.

“Those were found in Rey’s cabin. Peculiar, isn’t it? Why would they be there? So to test the theory that I’d worked up while we waiting for your eventual arrival, I asked Rose, the woman those letters were made out to, to elaborate on a few points, and wouldn’t you know! She could not. Rey, well, she is a stubborn one? But with a little…persuasion, she was able to answer brilliantly! My, Captain! You, who regards himself smarter than all of us, you, you! What a wonderful lie you’ve been living, protecting a woman who hasn’t been honest to you a day you’ve known her. Per Pirate’s Law, we all know the penalty for lying, don’t we? How will you settle this, hm>”

Kylo Ren glared at Snoke for a moment before he swung his gaze towards Rey. “What is he talking about?”

Rey looked devastated and so did the rest of Keshla’s crew. Finn jerked from his restraints. “Rey, you don’t have to do this. Please,” he pleaded. “This is our fault. You did this for us…”

“No, I did it for us. I consider you my family. I would do it again, to save us. Willingly.” Rey managed a small smile between the tears that were starting to gather on her bottom lashes. “It’s okay Finn. I’m a big girl.”

She turned to Kylo Ren and inhaled deeply, her breath shuddering as the strength of her crying picked up.

“I—Rose was sick, and…and you were scheduled to visit her by the moon’s turn. The probability of her being well by the time of your visit was virtually impossible. So, we, no I, I did the next best thing. The plan was to replace her with someone who could play Alquerques just as well as she could.” Rey looked down at her hands. “Me.

“It was supposed to be just one night, just one and I would never see you again and you would continue with your next visit none the wiser, but happy. At least I… presumed you’d be happy. She was who you wanted. But then the letters started to come, and I fell for you with each written word, but still, I knew. I knew I couldn’t have you. You weren’t mine; I knew that. But I couldn’t get away from you!”

“Did you try?”

“Yes,” she frowned. “Maybe you don’t remember how…hard it was to get rid of you.”

“You didn’t.”

“What?”

“You didn’t get rid of me.”

“I know! No matter what I did get away from you, nothing worked! But then…you were in my head, and as time went on, you were in my heart. I didn’t know what to do. I fell in love with you. I’m sorry, Ben.” The scroll she had clutched in her hands crumpled in her hand. “I’m so sorry I lied to you.”

Kylo Ren gazed at her stoically. Well, he tried anyways, until she called him Ben and then he was fighting back a smile so hard his teeth hurt. He approached her like she was a wild animal—this feral rat Snoke kept referring to her as—reaching for her hand. She snatched it away like his touch would burn, and with a hitched sob, she turned from him.

She was so very stubborn. It was true she lied to him, but did she think he was some kind of monster? Who would not understand the weight of her sacrifice? He’d done so much worse for those he considered family. Murder, torture, all to keep those close to him safe.

And even as he wondered if she’d ever tell him the truth, he’d told her cleanly.

“I’ll wait for you, Rey. Whatever it is, I’ll wait. I don’t care and I haven’t for a long time. You don’t have to be honest with me, but please, be honest with yourself. Gather your courage. Hell, I’ll give you mine. I’ll lead and all you have to do is follow. You _promised_.”

She finally let him approach, and he did so gently, pushing back a lock of hair that had fallen out of one of her buns. His hand trailed down until he could finger the kyber crystal around her neck. It had begun glowing a faintly, a sign that she has chosen it and it had chosen her. It was all the more reason he would never, ever let her go.

“Rey. _Woyunoks. _Beloved_._ Please look at me.” When she didn’t, her eyes screwed shut as tear after tear fell from them, he gathered her in his arms, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, to the revulsion of one of the Supremacy crewmen. “I knew who you were, Rey,” he whispered.

Her eyes shot open and she looked up at him with surprise. “You what?”

Kylo Ren gave her a crooked smile as he ran his thumb under her eyes. “I’ve known for some time. I know you were the woman behind the veil.”

She frowned, and some of the stubbornness, some of Rey, bright and sunny, returned to her face. “How?” she screeched.

His thumb traveled down the path carved by her tears to her bottom lip, still quivering. “Your kiss. It told me everything I needed to know about you, Rey. It’s how I knew you were the path I wanted to take. It’s how I knew I loved you.”

Instead of the joy Kylo Ren was expecting, Rey’s face crumpled once again. “I’m so sorry.”

“Stop apologizing. Please. Trust me, I have a very interesting way to make you pay for your lies,” he said with a smirk. “But that is contingent on if we make it out of here alive. Stand up, beloved. We’ll do this together.”

He cupped his hand into hers and for the first time, Rey smiled back at him with clear eyes that weren’t heavy with her secret. As they stood, Kylo Ren glanced over his shoulder to Naha Fey, who winked. Naha Fey turned to Finn and Poe with a pointed look. “You lot know how to count to three, yes?” The Keshla crew looked confused but nodded in unison.

“Good. Start counting then put your head down.”

“Snoke! A gift from our friends from the mainland.” Naha Fey reached into her pockets with the most wolfish grin Kylo Ren had ever seen. And he’d seen her in a lot. With lightning precision, she threw her hand into the air, and a small white ball flew from her fist. A lot of the crewmen from the Supremacy looked up, like idiots, while Ren tipped Rey’s head down. The Keshla’s crew all ducked their heads in a synchronized swoop as the white ball flew high past the mast and _exploded_. A loud popping sound echoed across the deck just as a thick cloud of white rained down onto the ship.

The powder was harmless, if not a bit irritating if inhaled, but it wasn’t a weapon.

It was a signal.

There was the low hum of a war horn followed by the roar of hundreds as they ran from below the deck of The Finalizer and out onto their deck. While the crew of Supremacy tried to find the source of the sound, the crew of The Finalizer pressed forward, throwing hook across the width of the two ships, watching them cling to the sturdy booms and sail riggings. Azer led the attack by swinging across first, his sword clenched between his teeth and fury in his eyes. No one liked a good sword fight like the Second Mate. Behind him were the rest of his Knights, Kazuda, and Raijoit, and Kodzai and, Emon'tu Ren, and Phetra, eyes gleaming with the chance to, eloquently speaking, fuck things up.

The clash between The Supremacy and The Finalizer was long coming. For years, the two ships had been at odds with each other, but an unjustified all-out battle was undignified, and the one Captain between the two that cared about the rules, was quick to agree. However, sound justification had been dropped into his lap and Kylo Ren was more than pleased to meet the challenge.

As the men from each crew clashed loudly on the deck, Naha Fey and Rey moved quickly to free Poe, Finn, and the girls from their captivity.

“Give me a sword,” Poe screamed as his ropes dropped around his feet.

Jessika rolled her eyes as she shrugged her ropes off. “You don’t know how to use a sword! You want to die?”

“You just swing until _they_ die! It’s simple!”

“You _do_ want to die!”

While the two argued, Naha Fey worked furiously to unknot Pammich’s ropes. Once she was free, she rushed forward, arms wrapping around Naha’s neck as she kissed her deeply. “I knew you’d come for me, you wonderful, wonderful woman!”

Naha Fey giggled—and Kylo nor Azer nor anyone on the Finalizer had ever heard that sound before. “I do what I must.”

“Oh god, save it! She has a notebook full of love poems dedicated to you. And you won’t get to read them if you get yourself killed rubbing at each other’s noses! Let’s go!” Kaydel roared as she snatched a sword out of a Supremacy crewman and began clearing a path.

Poe and Finn turned to Kylo Ren and Naha Fey, the former close to tears, the latter with fire in his eyes. “If you will not let us fight,” Finn started. “Then you must promise on your lives that you’ll save Rose. Neither of us can bear losing her.”

“You have our word. Save yourself, and we’ll save her! Get a move on it! Raijoit!,” Naha called out. “Get them back on the Finalizer!”

The Knight rushed forward and began ushering them towards the front of the ship where they could safely cross back over but Pammich broke free of his wrangling, and ran back to Naha Fey, pulling her into another kiss. Exasperated, Raijoit rolled his eyes and began pulling her along. As she was yanked along, Pammich cried out, “I love you, Naha Fey Ren!”

Naha Fey blinked slowly. Then shrugged happily. I love you, too!”

Kylo Ren brow rose. “Well, that was the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen. If you are done, can we fight now?” He pointed his sword to the men approaching him.

“A little romance is always needed before you die.” Naha smiled, pulled her sword free, and they charged.

Rey’s glare cleared the space between where she stood and where Snoke was. He stood unmoving with his hand tightly clenched around Rose’s forearm. He was smiling, which unnerved her. His ship was being attacked and his hostages had all but been freed but he was smiling.

A group of men charged the deck at Kylo Ren and Naha Fey, their sword drawn and ready for an attack and the momentary distraction gave Rey an opportunity. She snatched up a sword of the dead crewman and raced toward the Captain’s quarters up until she stood just below Snoke.

“Let her go. It’s me you want, and it’s me you will have. I promised to surrender and I have.”

“You expect me to believe the words of an armed woman?” Snoke chuckled unbelievingly. “Drop your sword and I’ll let her go.”

“I’m just a woman with a sword while you are the great revered Captain Snoke. Are you saying you are scared of me?”

Snoke contemplated her words for a breath before shoving Rose away from him. The woman stumbled and as she gained her footing, her and Rose’s eyes connected.

“Rey, no. Please.”

No. She would not make Rose pay for something that was her fault. She was the one who’d enraged Snoke.

“Poe and Finn are waiting for you, Rose. Put them out of their misery before Poe picks up a sword and gets himself killed.” When Rose didn’t move, she smiled. “It’s okay, Rose. Please. Go, I’ll be fine. Go…”

Rey ignored Rose’s tears as she made ragged regretful steps towards the stairs and into the waiting arms of Emon'tu Ren, who guided her through the thong and towards the front of the ship. With Rose safe, Rey slid her gaze towards Snoke, her sword dropping to her feet as she climbed the steps to meet him. “Now…”

Snoke cackled. “You are indeed a very foolish woman, you know that? But I’ve wondered how a rare sort of creature such as yourself has managed to stay alive through all of this. I’m a smart man, Rey. I recognize a treasure when I see one. A prize such as yourself should be cherished, not hauled around the ports of Alon like some stowaway salt bride.” Snoke circled her and then pressed forward, easing Rey back towards the rails. “I’m giving you a choice here, my lady. Be at my side, rule the seas with me, and I’ll call off my feud with Kylo Ren.”

She looked over his shoulder, brow raised. “We’re winning. I have no reason to submit to any of your wishes.”

Snoke sighed. “That you may be right. But, what of yourself?” He struck out, his hand wrapping around her throat and squeezing. “I get what I want, I always get what I want, and I’ll have you one way or another, Rey. It’s the only way I can think of you paying me back for all my troubles.”

His hand tightened and Rey clawed at his leather-covered fingers, trying to get air in her lungs. Snoke was a vile man. The more Rey struggled the tighter his grip became.

“Let her go!”

Snoke groaned with a roll of his eyes. “Wonderful! Perfect timing, Ren!” Snoke looked over his shoulder at Kylo Ren who stood at the lip of the stairs. “You move any closer and I’ll throw this bitch overboard!” he snarled, contradicting his words.

Once upon a time, when a frustrated Rey was mad at a clueless Kylo Ren high above the world in the Spindle Loft, he’d gifted her, even in all of her frustrating glory, with a dagger. The dagger had come from his first mate, Naha Fey, a woman he trusted more than anyone in this world, even more so than her. So, to be bestowed with such a meaningful weapon had meant something to Rey, even if she didn’t realize how much at the time.

As quick as she could manage against the lull of passing out, she drew the dagger from her leg holster and brought it down hard against Snoke’s thigh. His grip around her neck loosened as he screamed in pain. She saw Kylo Ren moving, his attempt to saving her, but if anyone was going to save her, it would be Rey herself.

“You threatened me, my family, and the man that I loved. You’re going to fucking rue the day you made that mistake.”

As he fell back from her, clawing at the dagger thrust deep into his leg, Rey snatched Snoke’s sword from his sheath and swung hard. She missed his throat by a hair, but the heavy weight and the sharp edge of the sword sliced through his forearm cleanly, through skin and muscle and bone, and the whole of it thumped against the ground. His howl could be heard by every member on the ship, so loud and ferocious that the battle skid to a stop.

Snoke’s crewmen saw their Captain fall, mewling in pain on the ground, covered in blood and defeated, and they surrendered, throwing their swords to the ground.

Kylo Ren rushed up the stairs and snatched Rey into his arms. She was shaking and her eyes were wide, but they were locked onto Snoke as he clutched the stump of his right arm, his chest heaving in pain and delirium. He pulled her in tighter into his embrace, kissing the crown of her head. Slowly he pulled the sword from her grip.

“It’s alright, Rey. It’s over.” He kissed her hair again. “It’s over.”

The House of Mai was loud.

With a hundred crewmen of the Finalizer singly loudly, and drinking even louder, the sounds of celebration flowed from the inside of the building and spilled out onto the streets where crewmen and bawd alike were enjoying the spoils on one very exuberant Captain’s coin.

After the battle on The Supremacy, Snoke was handed over to the local authorities for transport back to the land his father held. Although Snoke’s father was not a good man, he did not take well to people disobeying his order. He’d summoned his son to pay for his crimes against their lands—treason. They’d carted him off to have his wounds tended to, but the moment he was well enough to travel, he and Hux would be transported back for their trail.

Now with everyone safe and sound, Captain Kylo Ren and his crew found every reason to celebrate. Amongst the main celebration, quite a few smaller moments caused loud cheers and the copious intake of wine.

Paige and Rose were reunited after years of being separated. It was here that Paige and Tallie presented Rose with the paperwork that would grant her the innocence she’d longed for. That she no longer had to hide herself. She was a free woman again. She could see her family again.

Pammich handed Naha Fey her book of poems, and it took half of the crew of The Tempest to keep their fearsome purple First Mate from proposing on the spot. Unlike Rey, Pammich _was_ still a courtesan and she would have to learn to control himself. Yet, Kylo Ren could see the wide smile, one he hadn’t seen in years, settle on Naha Fey’s face as she bowled Pammich over, her skirts flying into the air.

Kylo Ren continued to scan the tavern, seeing Kyryahi goad a very drunk Kodzai into an arm-wrestling match, Phetra try to convince the young Blajav to try the strongest ale served, and Finn dancing on a table with Kaydel and Jessika.

But couldn’t find the one person he wanted to celebrate with. The sound of a throat cleared behind him had Kylo Ren turning, finding Rose standing there, nursing a chalice full of wine. He looked for her sister, but then he saw Paige was being creepy with his Chronicler again, but Tallie being just as creepy back.

She took a sip of wine, staring at him over the rim. “It’s amazing we met under such circumstances. I was under the impression a much more romantic endeavor was our fate.”

Kylo Ren gulped. It seemed Rose was eating him alive with her narrowed gaze. “That fault lies with you I do believe.”

“Just so,” she said, a smile curving her painted lips. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. “So, the entire time, our Rey was with you. If that isn’t the universe rearranging our lives, then I’m a nobleman’s daughter.”

“You _are_ a nobleman’s daughter.”

Rose laughed softly. “After all these years, I’d forgotten.” She pushed off from the wall and her smile melted away to a frown. “Fate is a funny thing, how this whole thing played out. Fancy that, you and Rey falling for each other, especially considering how it was me you sought after.”

Kylo Ren cleared his throat nervously, but Rose eased his worry with a small pat on his arm. “I’m fooling with you. Don’t worry, I have no plans to hold you to our contract. Rey is like a sister to me and I wouldn’t dare. However, how she got herself in so much trouble is beyond me, but I think she had a little help, wouldn’t you say?”

Kylo Ren’s grin was infectious. “As you said, fate, my lady.”

“Oh, quit with the my lady stuff. Your Rey is outside. Head behind the tavern and just past the edge of the forest. Through the clearing, you should see a lake. She will be there.”

Kylo Ren bowed as Rose walked off, thinking more of fate than she could imagine. He’d originally become enamored with Rose’s reputation because he needed an escape. The dissolution of his and Bazine’s relationship had made him needy for the feel of someone close to him. Someone he could talk to between the sheets of compassion and affection. It was to serve as a temporary fix to a heartache he thought he’d feel his entire life. However, fate had been kind to him. In the wake of a foolish infatuation, he’d found what he thought he’d never find again. Love.

He followed Rose’s directions out of the tavern and into the woods, trying and failing a few times not to stumble in the low light. He soon found the small pond. On a stump of a tree sat Rey, skipping pebbles across the pond’s surface. He tried sneaking up on her, but his foot landed across a twig and it snapped. She didn’t respond to the noise, just continued flinging rock into the water.

“The first time you snuck up on me, I almost gelded you clean.”

Kylo Ren straightened made his way to her side. “That was an interesting night. Never in my wildest dreams could I imagine meeting a woman in the middle of a forest with a penchant for waving a dagger and insults around.”

Rey laughed. “And I’d never met a man as infuriating as you. The longest night of my life, I’ll tell you that.”

A silence descended on them, comfortable and serene. That is until Rey broke it with her question. “How long?”

How long had he’d known? Kylo Ren wanted to tell her how he’d noticed the small things, the similarities, long before he _knew_. How he heard her voiced and imagined her lips and laughed at a joke long past. He wanted to tell her the fire he felt for her the first night was sincere but through their travels had been magnified times over. He wanted to say he always knew but he couldn’t.

“Since the cove.”

Rey failed to react again only other than to throw another rock. “That long, huh? You bedded a liar. It wasn’t like I didn’t know who you were. I could have come clean.” She glanced up at him. “It wasn’t…revenge was it? For lying?”

Kylo Ren made a noise in the back of his throat. “No. Never. _Never_.” He placed his hands beneath her chin, made her look at him. “From the sounds of it, you weren’t at liberty to be honest with me. How brave of you to sacrifice your veracity for the wellbeing of your family’s.”

Rey scoffed. “That’s no excuse. We went too far for me to have kept that secret. I should have avoided you; I should have never…”

“And I would have been angry to have never met you. I would have missed you my entire life, Rey.” Kylo Ren laughed, earning him a glare from Rey, but he couldn’t help it. “However, you are not the only liar amongst us. You concealed your identity, and I concealed the strength of our bond.”

When Rey frowned, he squatted low in front of her and took her hands into his. “I married you knowing exactly what you’d done. If that doesn’t betray my feelings towards you, then I don’t know what ever will.”

“You…married me?” she asked blankly.

“Rock-locked, actually. The night when we first made love was my pledge, eternally, to you. In the eyes of the sea, I am yours, forever.”

Rey gasped. “You made that sort of commitment without telling me?”

“You see how we're even now?” He inhaled deeply, taking a moment to look around. The branches of the tree hanging above them, the lake reflecting their images, the soft ground cushioning them. “It’s one-sided, you know. My pledge. You have no obligation to me. You can turn and walk away right now and there is nothing I can do but plead that you stay with me. But…I _love_ you, Rey. So very much. So much that if you ever called on me I would come running. “

Rey opened her mouth to speak but Kylo Ren cut her off with a kiss on her forehead. “Please. Don’t. Not tonight. I don’t think I could bear to hear your answer right now, anyways. Just…think about it for me okay?”

With that, he walked away from her, leaving her with her pond and silence.

It was windy, and not that Rey hated the wind, she just hated how it had the power to blow things together or blow them apart. How it blew easily between the stretch of space between them. The crew of The Finalizer stood on one side of the plank and Kylo Ren, Naha Fey, Azer, and the rest of Ren’s Knights stood on the other side.

Poe took a step forward, tossing a bottle of fine wine across to Kylo Ren. “Where to next?”

Kylo Ren clapped Naha Fey on the shoulder, “Seems my first mate has found us a bounty that is just too good to refuse Wild Space. So, we sail for Kesh.”

Poe nodded. “Not that I know anything about a pirate’s business, but along the way, I’ve heard that Jahilid Drif holds good treasures and their trader’s market is of the finest quality. Especially near Pral. I hope your travels are a good one and your bounty priceless.”

Kylo Ren nodded good-naturedly in response. He took one step back from the rail before Finn called out to him.

“Captain?”'

Finn rubbed the back of his neck before saluting Ren and his crew. “I find my words are lacking for they cannot speak to how grateful we are to you for saving us. You were under no obligation to do so, but you did so anyways. We thank you, sincerely. You are welcome to visit at any time.”

Kylo Ren nodded and his gaze traveled over the faces of the Keshla crew to land on Rey. “The pleasure was all mine,” he admitted softly.

Rose stood just behind Rey, and at Rey’s lack of reaction, she nudged her lightly. Rey swung her head to Rose.

“Yes?”

“For as long as I could remember, you always used to utter this phrase. What was it…oh! Yes, yes! ‘I’m a creature of danger.’ Nobody knew what the hell it really meant but the funny this is…we believed you. Everything you were and everything you are was bared teeth and bravery and dauntless loyalty. So, you must understand my disappointment at how cowardly you are being right now.”

“A coward?” Rey sputtered, laughing.

“You think a strong, handsome, sweet man like that comes around? Do you know how long it took for me to train Poe what romance meant? Finn? Ages! And the only thing you had to do was trespass around the Alon countryside. And look at him! Any other man would have thrown you over their shoulder, considering he _married_ you.” Rose ignored Rey’s scoff and roll of eyes. “Look, Adorae. Love is rare and beautiful, and kind, and wonderful. Pride is wasted on loneliness, and no one ever gained a goddamn thing holding back. Now is not the time to be scared. “

Rey turned to face The Finalizer with a knowing smile. “It isn’t cowardice, my love. It’s timing. I am one for dramatics! Learned it from you.”

Rose frowned, confused, and Rey bent down to peck Rose on the cheek. “Thank you, Lady Rose. For everything.”

Rey took off running, pushing her way through the small crowd, only taking the time to look back at her family, the ones who’d given her everything she could ask for, who’d protected and treasured her.

Rey had never been happier than on the deck of Keshla. But there was a bigger adventure waiting for her and of all the sacrifices she had made in her life, this was the one time she would act selfishly and take what was hers.

“Benjamin Solo!”

She slid to a stop midway across the plank. She watched as he turned to her, surprised, his mouth parted in muted shock. She unsheathed Naha Fey’s dagger and before anyone could stop her, she slashed it across her open palm.

Kylo Ren panicked and scrambled onto the plank. He ran across its length until he stood in front of her. “What do you think you are doing, you crazy woman?”

Rey smiled brilliantly, ignoring the sting of the cut as she squeezed her fist together, watching as the blood dripped into the Silver Sea. “I’ll follow you, Ben.” She was so happy she couldn’t catch her breath. “I will follow you.”

Kylo Ren searched her face in earnest. “You will?”

“Yes. To the ends of this universe.”

The doubt eased away, replaced by something just shy of unholy glee, and Kylo, no Ben, dipped down, cupped her face, and kissed her. Kylo

Their marriage was complete. They were rock locked…forever.

She spun back to the deck of Keshla, surprised to find a litany of smiles beaming back at her.

Kaydel, Pammich, and Jessika hooted loudly from the deck at her decision before blowing kisses at her, their ever familiar way of saying goodbye. Poe grumbled good-naturedly about losing one of the best employees he’s ever had, while Rose tried to blink back her tears.

As she walked to Kylo Ren’s side of the plank and hopped down, she turned and called out for Finn. “You protect my family, Finn! I’m counting on you!”

Finn’s smile was so wide it looked as if it hurt. “You bet I will! We’ll miss you, Rey!”

“And I, you!”

The plank was raised and the sails for the Tempest were raised. She watched as the ship moved silently away from Keshla and she waved until her arm hurt. She looked over the rails until it was a small dot on the horizon.

Waiting for her as she said goodbye in her own way was Ben Solo, her Knight of Ren.

She took the two steps between them until she stood in front of him. She held out her good hand in greeting as they met. “Hello, good sir. My name is Adorae Kira Kenobi. I’ve very good at board games, terrible with a sword, although I’d kick your ass with a staff so don’t you get comfortable! And I have a very shaky past. Glad to meet your acquaintance.” She dipped into a courtesy that made Ben laugh softly. “I just so happened to overhear that you enjoy a good foreign tale? May I interest you in the story of The Fisherman and The Jinni? Perhaps the legend of Sinbad?”

Ben accepted her hand, “Hello, Rey. I’m Kylo Ren but I would like it very much if you called me Ben,” he said softly. He slid his hand until his fingers fell into the spaces between hers before he tugged her closer into him, his arms sliding around her waist. Rey was pleased with her new position. “I heard, and rumors are such unreliable things, that some lucky man had snatched you up. Made you his?”

“Yes. Yes. I am happily married.” She threaded her fingers with his, her thumb rubbing across the back of his hands. “You’re stuck with me now, huh, Captain.”

“Aye, I am.”

“Good to hear it, mariner,” she said as she looked up at him.

Kylo Ren’s laugh was loud, a booming echo that caught the eye of Azer and Naha, who glanced at one another before rolling their eyes. There was a shared smile before they got back to work. “Mariner? No. Someone wise and beautiful and brave once informed me that I am a pirate.”

“Ah, a creature of danger. I sure made a smart choice, didn’t I for I too am a creature of danger.”

“I know.” He kissed her softly.

And with all good stories, they sailed into the orange glaze of a setting sun, hand in hand, ready to take over the world as one.

A Dyad.


	14. Epilogue

“What do you mean I can’t go? I’ve been looking forward to this trip to Ryloth for ages now! What am I going to tell Qunci?”

“Tell that fire breathing wench what you want! I still haven’t forgiven her, you know.”

“It’s been years, you big, gigantic oaf! And she is a Senator now!”

He ignored that because when did facts ever impede his argument? “You are with child, anyways. You don’t need to be traveling. Now, walk up this plank to Rose where you can be properly watched!”

“Properly?!” Rey sputtered, hands landing on hips. Which were spreading the further along her pregnancy she went. ”What am I a dog? I don’t need to be properly anything, you overgrown blarmy nerfherder.”

Kylo Ren rolled his eyes. “That’s real mature, Rey.”

“I’ve never been mature a day in my life. And you married me anyway!” She hmphed, turned away from him. “Well, if I can’t go, I’m sending word to have Idez come here!”

Ben whirled on her, mouth dropped open. “Oh, no you’re not! He has to learn!”

“Learn what?”

“How to be a pirate,” Ben said simply.

“He’s six!”

“And that’s old enough!”

Naha Fey, who trailed behind them, rolled her eyes while the couple slowly made their way up the plank to the deck of Keshla.

“I saw that, Naha.”

“I meant for you to see it, Captain.”

When they finally set foot onto the barge, Ben and Rey were still arguing, loudly, but Naha Fey had to laugh. Kylo Ren was overprotective and in love, especially with Rey carrying their second child, and it seemed he found every chance he could to ruin her fun under the banner of keeping her safe.

It never, ever worked because for all he was a raging bull, he was so, so very soft to Rey’s actual wants and demands and needs and asks. To her everything.

Still, they argued like it was a substitute for sex. Most times it led to sex, which Naha had learned the hard way. Too many times to count.

They were often surprised when she wasn’t aboard because Rey was an fucking _excellent_ pirate. Rey was as resourceful as she was smart, deadly as she was beautiful. But her adventure was wide and large and all-encompassing. When she wasn’t keeping home in the big ass house Kylo Ren had built for her, she was either running her delightfully successful —and fair—scavenger parts exchange business or operating the gambling ring she’d set up in their basement.

Every day she learned something new about Adorae Kira Kenobi. And because of Rey, every day she learned something new about her Captain.

When Poe, Finn, and Rose walked out on the deck of the ship, the squabbling ceased. Rey squealed at seeing her friend and Rose picked up her skirts, running into Rey’s arms. They did this _every_ month as if they’d never see each other again. All three husbands were used to it and had learned to ignore the high-pitched hollering each and every time.

Rose, once one of the most famous courtesans in all of Alon was now simply the kept wife of two very resourceful businessmen. The money that came from Kylo Ren’s contract with Rose years ago was funneled as seed money to turn Keshla from a pleasure barge into one of the most profitable floating merchant ships in all of Alon. The girls, too, were relieved of their courtesan duties and now worked for Poe in a different capacity—taking perfumes and makeup that Poe bought off Kylo Ren and going from estate to estate to teaching to use it effectively. The small courses they ran on seduction to the highborn ladies (and men) of Chandrila didn’t hurt sales either.

Paige and Finn teamed up together and turned the negotiating business upside down, using their talents to bring in waves of customers to Keshla, while Tallie, now the account aboard the merchant ship, found a way to maximize their profits. All in all, Rey’s family was making far more money than they ever dreamed of.

And soon, they would be celebrating Naha Fey’s wedding to Pammich Nerro Goode, the second binding of The Finalizer to Keshla. Naha smiled as she sought her fiancé out on the deck. The two had run around, chasing each other up and down the coast of Alon like two wolves in heat for years. And along the way, they’d adopted and were now the parents of _six_ boys. The decision to settle down came naturally after the adoption of Nerra, their youngest, a baby girl who looked just like Pammich.

To celebrate, they’d all gathered around the deck of Keshla. Naha Fey rose and rapped her sword against the ground.

“Hear ye, hear ye, all ye courtesans and pirates, ye vile creatures of Alon’s night,” she said, gaining her a loud round of hoots and laughter from everyone. She raised her glass. “It’s been years, eight beautiful years, that I’ve known the lot of you. Kylo Ren and Azer, you don’t count, of course.”

“As old as you are, I’m surprised you still can count without using your toes, you old fart!” Azer called from the end of the table.

Azer was still trying to convince Jessika and Kaydel of the wonders of a polyamorous relationship, but Kaydel was quick to remind him that he fell in love with _everyone_ he met, so it would be best if he were to keep his options open and his pants up. Eternally. When Azer was forced to agree over Jessika’s snort, Naha Fey fell into a round of laughter.

“Oh, fuck! I forgot what I was going to say!”

Their family was small, quirky, and fiercely loyal to each other.

Rey looked across the table to her husband, winked and snickered when he rolled his eyes at her. Still, he reached across the table and slid his hand into hers, showing her a smile that he reserved just for her.

She loved this man and he loved her. They were a force in this world, unbreakable and ferocious.

This was the life she was meant to lead; these were the people she was meant to love.

And this was the man she was meant to be with.

**And to think, it all started with one lie.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for sticking with me! I had to take a step back but I'm SO very glad we could reach the conclusion of this piratey tale! 
> 
> Thank you, thank you, thank you!


End file.
